Undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo broke his hand in training. What this means is that the much-hyped fight between Charlo and popular undefeated contender Tim Tzu on January 28th has been postponed. Although this is obviously not good news for fans, Charlo has made a point to explain the situation.
“It was a spar,” he said, “and I threw this good punch and as soon as it landed, I knew something was wrong. I immediately felt my hand prickling. I had two x-rays and an MRI to see what was wrong. It showed that it was broken in two places. I hate this feeling. My hand will be in a cast for two months. I’m as disappointed as the fans, maybe even more, because this is my first chance to defend the undisputed champion.
Still, 35-1-1 Charlo continues to exude confidence. “If I was, I would beat Tim Tsiun with one hand,” he continued, “but the doctors and the boxing commission wouldn’t allow it.” A lion is even more dangerous when he is in trouble and comes back to defend his pride. I’ve been training since July, and I’m hitting harder than ever, and these are the things when you push yourself to the limit. After my hand recovers, I will come back stronger than ever to defend my legacy.”
21-0 Tsyu weighed in, expressing frustration but understanding the situation. “I’m very sad,” Tsiu said. “I felt like the stars were inarguably aligned…but we’ll keep going. I am ready to take the next mandatory challenge. I’ll get back to Charlo after he’s ready and healed.” Although the two men stopped fighting on January 28th, each fighter seems to be very compatible with the other, so we’re hoping for a rematch.
“The undisputed 154-lb world champion @TwinCharlo He broke his left hand during practice and got his chance when he was eagerly awaited and defended his No. 1 opponent. @Tim_TsyuScheduled for 1/28, postponed. A new date will be announced soon.” Premier boxing championships.
