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Bad weight cuts are an everyday occurrence in the MMA world, where fighters are often carefully orchestrating a drop of 10-20 pounds in the days leading up to their bouts. But it’s a bit more rare in the boxing world, where multiple, close together weight classes encourage fighters to stay nearer to a healthy walking weight.
That said, pugilists still have their share of bad days on the scale, even those with plenty of big fight experience. As Jermall Charlo reminded fans ahead of his non-title bout against Jose Benavidez Jr.
WBC boxing champ Jermall Charlo misses weight for Benavidez fight
Unbeaten middleweight boxing champion Jermall Charlo makes his return to the ring this Saturday, November, 25th in Las Vegas, NV. The bout will mark the first for the WBC title holder since defending his title against Juan Macias Montiel in June of 2021. Unfortunately for what was intended to be a 163 lb catchweight bout looks like it will now have to be renegotiated after Charlo came in at 166.4, and then again at 166.6 after attempting a second cut.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, both teams are in negotiations to keep the fight on Saturday’s card, with Benavidez likely to receive extra financial compensation for Charlo’s lack of professionalism.
The bout will go forward
After a few hours of negotiating, it looks like the fight is still on. Michael Benson tweeted the news and included a clip of Charlo and Benavidez in the face-off. Showtime Boxing also noted the bout being official for tomorrow night.
Jose Benavidez Sr. responds to weight miss
While the two sides are looking to come to a new deal, Benavidez’s father, Jose Benavidez Sr. gave his thoughts on Charlo missing weight for his son’s boxing match.
“I’m waiting for Junior and David [Benavidez] to go to the weigh-ins,” Benavidez Sr. explained. “A little bit upset because, at first, the contract was at 160 lbs. with Jose Benavidez Jr. Then they decided that they wanted to change it to 163 lbs—and we agreed to that. And now Charlo is, like, three pounds—almost four pounds—[over].
“I don’t know, man. I don’t think this guy wants to fight. I knew he was going to come heavy. If it were for me? I would cancel that fight. But Junior? He’s a warrior. He got ready for this fight and we kinda worked something out. I’m thinking, hopefully, he can show up and maybe we can make that fight.”
Charlo open about mental health, substance abuse struggles
This week’s trouble with weigh-ins only marks the latest struggle for Boxing champ Jermall Charlo, who has been open about his struggles with depression and bipolar disorder and how that caused him to turn his back not just on competitive athletics, but on friends and family as well. Eventually, it seems that Charlo even severed his relationship with his twin brother, and fellow top boxer, Jermell Charlo.
The two are back on speaking terms now, however. Jermall talked about his journey back to competition in an interview with the New York Post earlier this month.
“Depression, self conflation, going from hot to cold really fast is shocking to you,” Charlo explained. “Dealing with all kinds of cases of [being] bipolar, being by yourself, thinking that you shutting the world out is gonna help you. But you need to be able to speak to someone and help you get past whatever you’re going through.
“It just feels like everybody is against you, I don’t care if you’re in the Uber, a cab, wherever, everybody is just against you. Why I felt like this, [I don’t know]. I couldn’t tell that some people weren’t against me, it was just that at the moment it’s the way you’re feeling and I turned my back against pretty much the world. I just had to start getting help with it and it made me a lot better.”
Jose Benavidez Jr. vs. Jermall Charlo is set for the co-main event under a Super Middleweight title fight between unbeaten 27-0 WBC champion David Benavidez (younger brother of Jose Jr.), and 32-0 WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade. The card will also feature 19-1 Subriel Matias vs. 23-0 Shohjahon Ergashev for the IBF Jr. welterweight title as well as 16-1 Hector Luis Garcia against 23-1-1 Lamont Roach for the WBA super featherweight belt.
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