BoxRec

To push along their middleweight ranks, the World Boxing Council has confirmed that Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) and Hugo Centeno (26-1, 14 KOs) will fight for the interim WBC championship.

The fight will be taking place because the full WBC middleweight title is tied up - as champion Gennady Golovkin is currently negotiating a potential May rematch with Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

According to the information that was passed over to WBC President Maurcio Sulaiman, Charlo and Centeno will battle on a date in the month of January.
There would be no surprise if that contest landed on the undercard to Errol Spence vs. Lamont Peterson, which takes place on January 20 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Both Charlo and Centeno have fought in the venue, both are managed by Al Haymon, and both of them fight under the Premier Boxing Champions banner.

"The WBC has ordered an interim title fight, precisely so that there are no impediments (for Canelo-GGG 2) and that fight can be made without any problem of affecting the rights of some other boxer. (Jermall) Charlo accepted it, he understands the magnitude and everything is ready for (Canelo, GGG) to negotiate and make the rematch of their fight," said Sulaiman to ESPN Deportes.

"It will be Hugo Centeno (to fight Charlo), the next one who is available to fight for the interim title and it was already set down for January. So in the event that Golovkin does not reach an agreement for the fight with Canelo Alvarez, he would have the possibility of making a voluntary defense before thinking about Charlo or Centeno, or again the rematch with Canelo."

The last time Charlo was in action, he battered Jorge Sebastian Heiland back in July at the Barclays Center. It was Charlo's middleweight debut after vacating the IBF belt at 154-pounds to move up in weight.

Decent match.

jermalls a beast. my fear is he gets fights like this for the next few years instead of something big. i think canelo will clearly beat ggg and then jermall gets upgraded to full champ. but what then? he has the tools to beat the very best, including canelo and gennady face defense.

RIP, Hugo. Total mismatch.

It's now been ordered.

http://www.BS.com/charlo-vs-ce ... ez--123948

According to World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman, his organization has officially ordered a middleweight showdown between Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) and Hugo Centeno (26-1, 14 KOs) - and the fight has been sanctioned for the interim WBC championship.

The fight will be taking place because the full WBC middleweight title is tied up - as champion Gennady Golovkin is currently negotiating a potential May rematch with Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

Charlo is the mandatory challenger to the middleweight crown.

If the winner of Golovkin-Canelo rematch does not face the Charlo-Centeno winner next, then the holder of the interim-belt will be elevated to the status of full champion.

Canelo still has an ongoing dispute with the WBC and refused to fight for their title in the first Golovkin meeting. If Canelo wins the rematch, and the WBC title is not at stake for him, then the championship would become vacant - and the Charlo-Centeno winner would become the full champion by default.

The possibility of Charlo-Centeno was mentioned a few months ago by BS.com, and the contest was initially targeted for January. Now that January is here, there is no word on the exact status on when and where that fight will happen.

Both Charlo and Centeno are managed by Al Haymon, and both of them fight under the Premier Boxing Champions banner - which makes that fight an easy one to get done.

Centeno was badly outboxed for 3 rounds by Julian Williams and was fortunate to survive undefeated due to an accidental butt that resulted in a No Contest verdict.

He then fought Sulecki on national television and was outpunched, out boxed, out everythinged by the unbeaten Pole.

Centeno was stopped in the 10th round.

Centeno doesn't look the part of a world class fighter. He doesn't deserve the opportunity. Good connections, I suppose.

Charlo will stop him within 5.

Centeno is just average boxer, CHarlo will take him out under 6 rounds. He got totaly schooled by Sulecki and was on way to lose against Williams. His victory against Imanuwel Aleem was lucky shot and he was taking clean shots before that KO. Btw, good job fighting with Centeno, when Jacobs, Derevyanchenko and other more valuable oponents arround. And people will call Golovkin and Alvarez "cherrypickers"

But the WBC ordered this match.

It's not Charlo who selected Centeno as an easy victim.

In this case, blame the sanctioning body for putting this interim title fight together.

Charlo didn't do the cherry picking.

Expect Jermall to win this comfortably. I wasn't actually too impressed with him vs Heiland. The Argentine was hobbling around and Charlo took until the 4th to finish him. Anyway, I wouldn't expect Centeno to pose too many problems and if Charlo can take his performances from 154 up to 160, him vs the Golovkin/Canelo winner would be an interesting fight. Probably one of the best that can be made.

Why don't WBC order tougher eliminators etc. Why not Charlo vs Derev?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 16:34 Why don't WBC order tougher eliminators etc. Why not Charlo vs Derev?

I think his last fight was a final eliminator for the IBF, so the other 3 drop him out of their rankings.

ElJefe wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 16:51

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 16:34 Why don't WBC order tougher eliminators etc. Why not Charlo vs Derev?

I think his last fight was a final eliminator for the IBF, so the other 3 drop him out of their rankings.

They wouldn't drop him.

I remember Parker was the IBF and WBO mandatory at the same time. It's only when they hold a world title they stop being ranked.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 17:00

ElJefe wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 16:51

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Jan 2018, 16:34 Why don't WBC order tougher eliminators etc. Why not Charlo vs Derev?

I think his last fight was a final eliminator for the IBF, so the other 3 drop him out of their rankings.

They wouldn't drop him.

I remember Parker was the IBF and WBO mandatory at the same time. It's only when they hold a world title they stop being ranked.

That's what I thought but I checked the WBC website and they've got him listed as 'NA' along with Ryoto Murata (WBA regular), Avtandil Khurtsidze (legal ) and David Lemieux (just challenged for WBO).

http://wbcboxing.com/wbceng/ratings?layout=edit&id=145

Decent contest. Centeno scored one of the highlight KO's last year over Aleem. I doubt he can take Charlo, but it'll be a somewhat interesting fight. I can dig it.

http://www.BS.com/wilder-ortiz ... -3--124569

Fight is official to take place on Wilder vs. Ortiz undercard

Going by the Williams fight, Charlo should box the ears off Centeno.
I still think it is a good addition to the Wilder Ortiz card. Looking forward to the whole event now.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑24 Jan 2018, 07:17 Going by the Williams fight, Charlo should box the ears off Centeno.
I still think it is a good addition to the Wilder Ortiz card. Looking forward to the whole event now.

Some are saying Centeno is being overlooked. But I'm not sure. Let's see what he's got for Charlo.

centeno didnt win a round vs williams (ktfo by charlo) or sulecki, and ppl like this fight? easy work for jermall

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 Jan 2018, 07:40

KiwiRider wrote: ↑24 Jan 2018, 07:17 Going by the Williams fight, Charlo should box the ears off Centeno.
I still think it is a good addition to the Wilder Ortiz card. Looking forward to the whole event now.

Some are saying Centeno is being overlooked. But I'm not sure. Let's see what he's got for Charlo.

those ppl should go watch him look totally useless vs williams and sulecki. very questionable heart too.

Pretty weird how Lemieux can beat N'Dam, Stevens, and Rosado; and people act like he is a permanent top 5 fixture in the middleweight division. But Charlo can beat Bundrage, Trout, J Rock, Heiland, and Centeno; and people will act like that still isn't enough to merit an interim bauble.

Lackeos wrote: ↑24 Jan 2018, 08:40 Pretty weird how Lemieux can beat N'Dam, Stevens, and Rosado; and people act like he is a permanent top 5 fixture in the middleweight division. But Charlo can beat Bundrage, Trout, J Rock, Heiland, and Centeno; and people will act like that still isn't enough to merit an interim bauble.

He was IBF champion and went straight to WBC number 2.. Heiland was actually mandatory challenger for 2 years.

Another awful fight. Charlo is a talent...he needs to be in with top fighters. What is the point of these mismatches?

ive seen a lot of ppl think its a good match up

erm, centeno couldnt win a round vs jrock or sulecki. seriously. not one. he was totally outclassed and outmanned. those guys are second tier and we saw jrock flattened by charlo

hes way below charlo even if he did beat some prospect last fight.btw aleem almost got stopped by khytrov and khytrov had been looking awful for a while

Jermall Charlo vs. Hugo Centeno Pushed Back To April 21

Middleweight contender Hugo Centeno Jr. suffered a rib injury while training and his Interim WBC Middleweight World Championship bout with Jermall Charlo has been rescheduled for a Premier Boxing Champions event on Saturday, April 21 live on SHOWTIME.

The March 3 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast continues as a doubleheader beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. In the main event, WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will make the seventh and most difficult defense of his title against fellow-unbeaten heavyweight Luis Ortiz.

Charlo vs. Centeno will now be a featured bout on the previously announced April 21 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast presented by Premier Boxing Champions. Four-division world champion Adrien Broner will face undefeated former champion Omar Figueroa and one of boxing’s brightest young stars, Gervonta Davis, returns to the ring as the 23-year-old undefeated former champion looks to regain a title in the 130-pound class.