It wasn’t exactly the coming-out party the unbeaten Charlo twins envisioned. Jermall and Jermell, the 28-year-old boxers from Houston, had hoped to raise their profiles with impressive showings at Barclays Center on Saturday night. Instead, Jermell lost his WBC super welterweight title, while Jermall retained his middleweight crown in a pair of unanimous decisiℱons that left many in the crowd of 9,177 groaning📖 in disbelief.
Jermall kept his WBC interim middleweight championship with his decision over Matt Korobov of Russia by scores of 119-108, 116-112 and 116-112. Many thought Korobov had done enough to get the victory. That decision came after Jermell lost his 154-pound title, losing by decision to Tony Harrison of Detroit by scores of 116-112, 115-113🅰 and 115-113.
The fights presented by Premier Boxing Champions and televised on Fox reminded a national audience of the dark side of boxing: suspect judging. T🍸he Post saw Jermell Charlo winning and Jermall losing by the identical score of 115-113.
Jermall (28-0, 21 KOs) admitted his brother’s lo𝕴ss weighed on him during꧅ his fight.
“I had a really tough opponent, but he wasn’t better than me,” Jermall said. “There waܫs a lot on my mind in the ring.”
Korobov (27-2, 13 KOs) was a late replacement for Willie Monroe, who tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone and was 💙scratched from the card. The Russian’s southpaw style frustrated Jermall, who kept getting slammed by a straight left from Korobov.
By the eighth round, fans were growing frustrated with the slow pace of the bout, but Korobov had the tempo right where he liked it. His counterpunching midway through the bout was brillia💃nt. With the fight close entering the 12th, Jermall rocked Korobov with a left hook that wobbled the challenger, but he survived the round. According to Compubox, Jermall landed 170 punches in the fight to 128 for Korobov.
“I still feel I’m the best in the world,” Jermall said. “I just need to prove it to the rest of 💙the world.”
Jermell, who lost for the first time in 32 fights, thought he’d done enough to win the fourth defense of his super welt🅘erweight title.
“They took that fight from me,” Jermell said. “I w▨as pressing the action. He didn’t win that fight.”
H🔯arrison (28-2, 21 KOs) of Detroit was c𝐆onfident he won, though his reaction of disbelief at the decision suggested otherwise. Compubox saw Jermell landing 160 punches to 128 for Harrison.
“I dictated the pace,” Harrison said. “That’s what champions do. He wound up for big shots and I kept my defense tight. I kept my co༒mposure and I did what champions do.”
Harrison worked behind a steady jab and had his moments landing counterpunches. But Jermell was the aggressor throughout th꧒e bout, forcing the pace and landing the heavier blows. Jermell did have trouble connecting with consistency as Harrison used subtle foot movement to create angles as he fought off backing u🌊p.
Still, it seemed Jermell won the final two rounds with a hard left uppercut being th꧒e best punch in the 11th and a solid left hook to open the 12th. A rematch figures to be in order.
“I miܫght have give♍n away a few rounds,” Jermell said. “But I won that fight.”
In a heavyweight attraction, Dominic Breazeale (20-1, 18 KOs) of Glen🌄dale, Calif., ended a competitive bout by knock🍨ing out Carlos Negron (20-2, 16 KOs) of Puerto Rico with an overhand right at 1:37 of the ninth round.