By Kenneth Bouhairie
The five most impressive KO victories in the career of former world super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo, who returns to the ring tonight against Jorge Cota on FOX.
When Jermell Charlo faces Jorge Cota tonight, June 23, exactly seven years would have passed since what many consider his breakout performance.
On June 23, 2012, a precocious Charlo took a major step up in class versus Denis Douglin and passed with flying colors, knocking Douglin out with a single right in the fifth.
More eye-catching performances would follow. It seems almost inconceivable but Charlo, who turned pro at age 17, has now been fighting professionally for 11.5 years. The Houston, Texas native, was undefeated for all but six months of those. His streak ended last December at Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center, when he lost his WBC world super welterweight title to Tony Harrison by hotly contested decision.
The rematch was originally slated for tonight but Harrison pulled out after suffering torn ligaments in his ankle that will require surgery. Enter the hard-hitting Cota, who looks to spring a surprise in the main event at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, live on FOX and FOX Deportes (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
A win over Cota puts Charlo on schedule for the return bout versus Harrison, which will likely take place later in the year, assuming Harrison is healed. But Charlo isn’t just out to defeat Cota, he’s out to destroy him, as he did Douglin seven years before. And as he’s done so many other opponents in the past. Here’s a look at five of Jermell Charlo’s most impressive knockouts:
Date: June 23, 2012
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles
Records at the time: Charlo 17-0 (8 KOs), Douglas 14-1 (8 KOs)
Result: Charlo KO 5
Summary: A 22-year-old Charlo took on his first real test versus Douglin on Showtime’s ShoBox series. Douglin’s southpaw style gave Charlo few problems. The future world champion consistently led with his jab, working his right behind it. In the fifth, he feinted the jab and fired the right instead. Douglin walked straight into it, crashing to the mat with both arms outstretched. He rose on unsteady legs, stumbling around until referee Wayne Hedgpeth wisely called it off.
Date: January 26, 2013
Location: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
Records at the time: Charlo 19-0 (9 KOs), Yorgey 25-1-1 (12 KOs)
Result: Charlo KO 8
Summary: Charlo graduated to another level by taking on Yorgey, a Pennsylvania product who upset the previously unbeaten Ronald Hearns (son of the legendary Tommy Hearns) back in 2009. Yorgey was outgunned in every category—aside from welcoming punishment. Charlo tattooed him with an assortment of punches, using his stick to set up two knockdowns in the second and a final one in the eighth that put Yorgey away for good.
Date: October 31, 2015
Location: NRG Arena, Houston
Records at the time: Charlo 26-0 (11 KOs), Alcine 35-7-2 (21 KOs)
Result: Charlo TKO 6
Summary: Charlo’s Houston homecoming and PBC debut came against aging former world champion Alcine. This was Charlo’s first fight with newcomer Derrick James, after parting ways with respected trainer Ronnie Shields. Although he had shown flashes of power in prior bouts, it was on full display here. Charlo put on a show, out-landing Alcine by a margin of 110 to 22, according to CompuBox. A beautiful right uppercut in the sixth rocked and dropped Alcine. The old man gamely made it to his feet but didn’t last much longer. Charlo’s follow-up volley was enough to convince referee Jon Schorle to stop the bout.
Date: May 21, 2016
Location: The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
At stake: Vacant WBC World Super Welterweight title
Records at the time: Charlo 27-0 (12 KOs), Jackson 20-2 (15 KOs)
Result: Charlo KO 8
Summary: With older twin brother Jermall Charlo defending his IBF 154-pound title on the same show, Jermell hoped to make history by night’s end by being part of the only boxing twins to hold world titles in the same weight class.
It wasn’t easy.
Jackson, son of Julian Jackson, a murderous-punching former two-division champion, kept Charlo off-balance all night. He discarded his typical brawling style and boxed from the outside instead, using his jab and movement to avoid exchanges with his faster opponent.
Charlo never lost hope, despite being down by several points on all three cards heading into the eighth. That’s when he landed his signature right hand. A dazed Jackson turned away and began pawing at his eye. Charlo stepped in with a left hook which nearly drove Jackson through the ropes. Referee Tony Weeks had seen enough, mercifully stopping the fight as Jackson was out on his feet.
Date: October 14, 2017
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
At stake: Charlo’s WBC World Super Welterweight title
Records at the time: Charlo 29-0 (14 KOs), Lubin 18-0 (13 KOs)
Result: Charlo KO 1
Summary: It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Not this fast, anyway. The just-turned-22 Lubin was the touted new kid on the block. He possessed a smooth southpaw style, veteran boxing skills that belied his youth, and power in both fists. And he wasn’t shy to tell you about it.
As Lubin climbed the 154-pound ranks, he began calling Charlo, the champion, out. It seemed premature until the Orlando, Florida native stopped Jorge Cota in four rounds in March 2017. His calls for a world title shot grew louder, infuriating a Charlo clearly tired of the up and comer’s cocksure attitude.
By the time fight night rolled around, the trash talk rivaled any in recent memory. But in a blink, it was all over. Midway through the first, Charlo detonated a short right on Lubin’s jaw. Lubin crumbled to the canvas instantly. His body appeared to convulse as he struggled to his feet, prompting referee Harvey Dock to immediately step in at 2:41, awarding Charlo the finest victory of his career.
Article courtesy of Kenneth Bouhairie & PBC
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