Unified junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) has one less belt as the IBF announced earlier today that he vacated their title, forcing a mandatory fight for the belt at a later date. The IBF sent an email out to the press to give an update on the situation.
“The IBF received notice from IBF Jr. Middleweight Champion Jermell Charlo considerately advising of his decision to vacate his IBF title. In a letter to IBF President Daryl Peoples he expressed his gratitude to the IBF. Charlo noted his upcoming IBF mandatory obligation and the timing being an issue for him at the present moment in his career. He concluded the letter by respectfully relinquishing his title.
The IBF ordered a purse bid for the mandatory defense of the IBF Jr. Middleweight title between Jermell Charlo and Bakhram Murtazaliev to take place today, November 21, 2023. The IBF will now order #1 contender Murtazaliev to negotiate with the next leading available contender which is to be determined.
The IBF wishes Jermell Charlo well in his future endeavors.”
It hasn’t been a good few months for Charlo as shortly after entering the ring against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in September. He was stripped of the WBO title, which made Tim Tszyu, the interim champion, the full champ. Now Charlo is left with the WBC & WBA titles, which likely will look to enforce some sort of mandatory forcing Charlo to decide on those titles. The only title he won’t be ever stripped of will be The Ring Magazine title, which can be vacated if he decides to move up to middleweight.
No one has seen or heard from Charlo since he lost against Canelo, so it’ll be interesting to see what he has to say and when he will return to the ring. Will it be at junior middleweight or middleweight? All questions that should be answered in the coming months.
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