WBC Strips Jermall Charlo of Title, Crowns Carlos Adames as New Champion
In a swift decision, the World Boxing Council (WBC) has stripped unbeaten middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo of his belt and handed it over to Carlos Adames, the new WBC champion.
WBC President Explains the Decision
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman explained the reasoning behind the move, saying that Charlo’s recent car crash in Texas was the final straw that led to the governing body’s decision.
“So the WBC has made the decision, but at the same time we have compassion and still care for [Charlo’s] well-being,” Sulaiman stated. “When he returns to boxing, we will walk with him, as well.”
The 33-year-old Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) was arrested on Monday night following the car crash, in which he allegedly argued with another driver before fleeing the scene in his red Lamborghini. He was booked on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of a crash, and evading police.
Sulaiman acknowledged that the WBC had tried to support Charlo during his recent struggles, including a mental health layoff and issues with his weight. However, the organization ultimately felt that stripping him of the title and handing it to Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) was the right course of action.
“As I’ve always said, we are always going to give time for our champions – mental health is such a powerful issue in the world, now more than ever,” Sulaiman said. “We absolutely moved to support Jermall and tried to find ways to help him get to a better position. He was injured, then had a mental health situation, and when he came back last year and was overweight – that was a concern.”
Adames Crowned as the New Champion
Adames, the Dominican Republic native, has been the WBC interim champion since October 2022. Sulaiman praised Adames’ patience and expressed confidence in his ability to represent the organization as the new champion.
“Since the WBC has authorized Adames as an interim champion, all this time he has been extremely patient, compassionate about champion Charlo and expressing the wish to fight him,” Sulaiman said. “Now that he’ll be in the ring as a champion, I’m sure he’ll make us proud. He is well-deserving of being a champion.”
The decision to strip Charlo of his title comes as a blow to his aspirations of facing Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Charlo had been speculating about a potential showdown with Alvarez, but the Mexican superstar has instead opted to fight Jaime Munguia on Saturday.
🔗 Source
