Jermell Charlo made boxing history on Saturday after an eighth-round knockout of John Jackson to join his twin brother as a reigning world champion in the super-welterweight division.
Charlo’s successful bid for the vacant World Boxing Council crown in the 154-pound (69.8kg) category marked the first time twin siblings have owned world titles at the same weight.
Roughly an hour after Jermell’s title triumph, brother Jermall Charlo successfully defended his International Boxing Federation crown with a hard-fought unanimous decision over Austin Trout in the same ring.
Photo: AFP
The 26-year-old Jermell Charlo was trailing on all three judges scorecards after the first seven rounds against the skillful Jackson, but unleashed a brutal series of punches to score a knockout in the eighth round.
Jermell Charlo, who had caught Jackson flush on the chin with a left hook in the fifth round, connected with another stinging blow to his opponent’s head early in the eighth round. A stunned Jackson appeared dazed by the shot and turned away from Jermell Charlo, who moved in for the kill, sending his opponent crashing into the ropes with two left hooks to the head.
Referee Tony Weeks halted the fight to prevent Jackson suffering further punishment.
“It is history, we did it,” a delighted Jermell Charlo said.
“I am waiting on my brother next,” added Jermell Charlo, who improved to 28-0 with 13 knockouts.
After retiring to the dressing room, he then reappeared at ringside to watch his brother’s attritional 12-round battle with the durable Trout.
Jermall Charlo eventually prevailed in a hard-fought encounter, with two judges scoring it 116-112 and a third 115-113 for a unanimous victory.
The Charlo brothers embraced in the ring after a triumphant night.
“It was not a struggle, it was an experience,” Jermall Charlo told an interviewer. “I want to thank God for allowing me and my twin brother to see this day, baby. History, baby. It feels good.”
Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 knockouts) said he hopes his family’s dominance of the division would lead to bigger fights.
“It feels good, because I knew my brother would get the job done and we belong at this level,” Jermall Charlo said. “For us to get the attention that we need, we need these titles and we need to keep these titles.”
A downcast Trout was disappointed that he had not impressed the judges. All three of his defeats have now come via unanimous decision.
“He fought a hell of a fight, but I felt I did enough to win,” Trout said. “You know what? They are never going to give me a close decision. It is time to start putting these cats out, man.”
In the third world title fight on Saturday’s card, Cuban-born American Erislandy Lara defended his World Boxing Association super welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Vanes Martirosyan.
Lara had fought to a controversial draw against Martirosyan in 2012, but fared better against the American-Armenian from Los Angeles in another gritty contest.
Lara, who improved to 23-2-2 with 13 knockouts, won by a margin of 115-112 on one card, while two other judges scored it 116-111.
LEBEDEV VS RAMIREZ
AP, MOSCOW
Russia’s Denis Lebedev stopped Argentina’s Victor Emilio Ramirez in the second round to unify the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) cruiserweight titles on Saturday.
Lebedev, who came in as the WBA champion, moved well from the start and hit Ramirez with hard left uppercuts early in the second round, eventually knocking down the Argentine.
Ramirez beat the count and continued, but within seconds, he was overwhelmed by more hammer blows from Lebedev’s left and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
“It is excellent,” Lebedev said. “I knew what he was capable of and the tactics that my trainers had carefully worked out came good.”
Lebedev improved to a 29-2 record, while Ramirez dropped to 22-3 with one draw.
The Argentine was given the IBF title by default last year when previous champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez was stripped of the belt for inactivity, and his only other fight as champion was a split-decision draw against Jamaican Ovill McKenzie in October last year.
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