Middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo defended his world title tonight at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville.
He was forced to come through a significant assignment to prove that he is indeed now one of the very top middleweights in the world.
The 30-year-old Texan emerged from a truly compelling battle with Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko to win a unanimous points decision.
What a fight to be fair. A bout that genuinely delivered to fight fans tonight.
Indeed, it has been winning plaudits from many in the sport of boxing so far and rightly so.
Former pound for pound number one Andre Ward said:
Tonight will have put Charlo in the shop window for some big fights against the other top fighters at 160 lbs moving forward.
Middleweight number one and pound for pound top dog, well — certainly in most people’s top three — Canelo Alvarez no doubt would have been watching closely.
Along with the other top middleweights.
Here’s some more of the sentiment been expressed and respect shown between the two fighters tonight in a great moment of sportsmanship between the boxers at the end — showing both as gentlemen and good ambassadors for the sport this weekend:
Good stuff. What boxing is all about when all is said and done.
All in all, an impressive showing from Charlo and a good night for boxing in a tough time for all sports at the moment.
More to follow on the main event shortly involving his twin brother Jermell in the super-welterweight division.
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