Tag Archives: Jeison Rosario

Posted on 09/25/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Jermell Charlo could hardly keep his eyes off Jeison Rosario’s world titles.

The WBC Jr middleweight titlist has long wanted to become a unified champion and in just a few more hours, he’ll get a chance to do just that. 

Jeison Rosario stepped onto the stage at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut with his shoe coverings and face masks on, and easily came in under the Jr middleweight weight limit by weighing in at 153½ pounds. 

An amped up Charlo soon followed. The Houston native also had no issues as he tipped the scales at 153¾ pounds. 

For Rosario, he’ll look to make oddsmakers and his doubters look silly once again in his first Pay-Per-View headliner. 

Earlier this year, the 25 year old Rosario walked into a pre COVID-19 raucous Philadelphia crowd and ripped away the IBF, WBA and IBO world titles away from then champion Julian Williams. 

During the lead up of that contest, Rosario, a 15-1 underdog, was mostly dismissed. Predictions of how a Williams vs Charlo matchup would play out quickly became the talking point. 

One deleterious left hand however, left those hypothetical thoughts moot. 

Simply put, Rosario beat down the Philadelphia native via fifth round stoppage. That success hasn’t exactly translated to respect as oddsmakers have made a sizable underdog at 5-1 against Charlo. 

The pugnacious 30 year old has been on the road to a unification for several years now. Since winning the WBC title four years ago, a matchup with then champion Jarrett Hurd was presumptively next. Then of course, the titles began their merry go round-esque tour of the division. 

First, Hurd lost his titles to Williams. Then Charlo lost his belt to Tony Harrison. Williams was brutally stopped by Rosario and last but not least, Charlo violently ended his rivalry with Harrison and became a world champion again. 

Now, that brings us to tomorrow night. There’s a lot of the line for both men. Sure three world titles will be handed to the winner, but so will the consensus number one spot in the Jr middleweight division. 

The action for this card kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern Time, with the Pay-Per-View costing $74.95.

Posted on 09/24/2020

By: Kirk Jackson

Double the Trouble for the Charlo Twins?

Let’s try this again, take two.

The last time the Charlo brothers collectively headlined a Premier Boxing Champions event, it did not turn out too well for the talented twins.

The scene of the crime dates back to December 22, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The card, televised by FOX, featured Jermell Charlo defending his WBC Jr middleweight title against Tony Harrison and Jermall Charlo defending his WBC interim middleweight title in the main event against substitute replacement Matt Korobov.

Jermell lost a closely contested unanimous decision to Harrison, while Jermall won a highly competitive unanimous decision against Korobov.

This go-round, WBC middleweight champion Jermall “Hitman” Charlo (30-0, 22 KO’s) takes on Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KO’s) while brother Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (33-1, 17 KO’s) faces Jeison “El Banana” Rosario (20-1-1, 14 KO’s) in a Jr middleweight unification match.

Without question, this event features the greatest collection of talent and competition since the life-altering pandemic shook things up earlier this year.

Focusing on the respective main events; each Charlo brother is the A-side, the attraction of the match-up and each is positioned in a dangerous fight with a solid chance of suffering defeat.

As stated earlier, the last time the Charlo brothers collectively headlined an event, Jermell lost. Some may think of it as a jinx or curse, other pundits believe this was the result of matchmaking. Harrison is a highly-skilled, underrated fighter, with athleticism to match Jermell’s.

The Detroit native utilized successful tactics that Austin Trout and John Jackson implored in previous battles against Jermell. Harrison’s height posed a problem, along with his long reach and swift, consistent jab that disrupted Jermell’s timing and kept him off balance. Harrison lateral side to side movement, various angles and ability to fight off the back foot posed problems for “Iron Man” as well.

“I bounced back from that loss to Tony Harrison in 2018 last year, but there were still things I needed to learn and develop. We’re going to end 2020 with a bang. This is the Charlo show,” said Jermell, during a virtual media workout.

“After I lost in 2018, I told everyone that it just gave me jet fuel and that when I come back, I’m coming back full throttle. That’s what I’m about. I have nothing to lose. I’m not letting him take anything from me. I’m even more dangerous than I was before. I’m an old school fighter right here. I’ve been dedicated to this game and I’m not going anywhere. Stay out of my way, because I’m the man trucking things.”

Although Harrison and Rosario are different styled fighters, what can Rosario implement to have success against a highly motivated, focused Jermell?

There are five factors that may work in the favor of Rosario this weekend.

“It’s no pressure for me, it’s more motivation,” Rosario told CBS Sports last week through a translator. “I have always come in as the underdog even though I don’t think as one. If I am supposed to lose, no one told me the script. They didn’t tell me that. Somebody forgot to tell me the script that I’m supposed to lose in this fight. I’m used to it and there is absolutely zero pressure on me. This is just another night where I will be able to showcase my talent.”

One of the attributes, or series of intangibles rather, that may aid Rosario is his lack of fear, intimidation and pressure. If this holds true, by the time these gladiators enter the ring, he will have the ability to be loose and perform at a high level. Some athletes fold under pressure and there’s a saying stating pressure busts pipes… More on that later.

Although Rosario has a shorter reach, both men see eye to eye as they measure the exact same height. He is just as big size-wise as well. Punching power may be the deciding factor in this match-up. Although the knockouts tallied on his record may not truly reflect Jermell’s developed punching power, over the course of the last few years, he’s repeatedly left his opponents in a state of unconsciousness.  

Rosario is a heavy handed, proficient knockout artist as well. His last performance against Julian “J-Rock” Williams exemplified such, stopping the Philadelphia-bred fighter in five rounds. How often will Rosario’s hands connect? And is Jermell’s chin and body truly made of iron?

Ah, now back to pressure – the pressure that bursts pipes. Even though he lost the rematch, Harrison experienced great success applying pressure against Jermell last year. Harrison spent a good portion of the middle rounds walking Jermell down, stalking and stinging with his jab and even outfighting Jermell in their exchanges within the trenches. It looked as though the young lion was at times uncomfortable with the pressure.

Granted, different athletic ability and skill sets with Rosario and Harrison, but it’s a formula for Rosario to follow. Given his disadvantage of reach and necessity to impose his strength on the inside, it’s imperative for Rosario to successfully apply consistent pressure. The application of mental and physical pressure could make things uncomfortable for Jermell.

The fifth factor is placing all these ingredients together. Jeison Rosario has come a long way and he steadily improves with every fight. At 25, he hasn’t reached his peak, but he will need to continue his development and showcase those results. He will need to display high-level boxing catered to his skill set, to adjust to whatever Jermell brings to the table.

Simply put, the 154 pound belt holder won’t have an easy time unifying titles on the night. With that being said, his twin brother’s task may be even more arduous.

With two failed opportunities to wrap championship gold around his waist against Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin respectively, Sergiy Derevyanchenko is hoping that the third time is the charm.

Both defeats were highly competitive bouts, with knockdowns suffered against each opponent possibly serving as the difference.

Jermall is aware of Derevyanchenko’s talent and the threat he poses as a challenger. But he is fully prepared and this is the fight he wanted.

“This is just the beginning for me. There’s been 30 fighters who’ve tried to beat me, and all 30 failed,” Jermall said in a recent virtual media interview. “We’ll get a chance to get in there and do what we do best on Saturday. Talk is cheap. We’ll see where that green belt goes on Saturday.”

“I’m focused and locked in. I’m ready to fight. Sergiy can say what he wants to say about me, it’s going to be a fight on Saturday.”

For Derevyanchenko, there are factors that may come into play for his benefit. Work rate, style, experience, jinx and desperation.

The Ukrainian has a great style of utilizing angles with superb footwork and unleashing a myriad of punches at differing angles with his work rate. While Jermall has displayed the ability to box from the outside and fight off his jab, any opponent of either Charlo, is probably best suited with attacking and forcing either Charlo to be reactive, as opposed to being the initiators.

Forcing Jermall to be reactive is important because sometimes, he tends to load up on his shots. The “Hitman,” may get lulled into looking for that one power shot to change the fight. If this is a constant theme for Jermall this weekend, Derevyanchenko has the opportunity to outwork and tally up points.

“I’m going to put pressure on him from the beginning. I’m going to use my legs, my jab and combinations to get the win,” Derevyanchenko said. “This is a big fight. When I win, even more opportunities will open up. I’ll be able to unify and take my career to the next level.”

The biggest factor will be experience. Jermall has more fights as a professional and a steady level of opposition faced. His most recent ring outing against Matt Korobov for example, was a great learning experience. However, having faced Jacobs and Golovkin, many pundits believe Derevyanchenko’s experiences against his list of high-level opposition will serve him well in the fight this weekend.

Derevyanchenko will have to start fast, something he didn’t do against Jacobs or Golovkin, as he cannot afford to fall too far behind on the cards. Jermall represents a different type of fighter with his combination of skills, power and accuracy. He also displays a greater measure of discipline, compared to his earlier fights. Derevyanchenko will have to lean on his experiences and make the adjustments round after round, minute after minute, punch after punch.

Following the cue from Korobov, Derevyanchenko will have to use range effectively to frustrate and neutralize Jermall’s offense. Feint, smother, get outside far from Jermall’s comfort zone and repeat. Illustrate why he is regarded as the technician.

The last factor to consider, is the twin effect. Because they’re so close and are both passionate people, it can be quite the task managing emotions, while preparing for a fight only hours apart.

Both brothers admittedly remarked on the difficulties of preparation while worrying about the other. Granted, it can also be inspirational, but there can be negatives aspects as well.

At stake for Jermall Charlo is the chance to grab a firm hold of the middleweight division. With Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s absence, uncertainty with Demetrius Andrade and Gennady Golovkin’s perceived unwillingness to participate in unification’s with anyone not named the aforementioned Alvarez, the two-division world champion wants to exercise his dominance at 160 lbs., before moving up in efforts to conquer the super middleweight division.

“I’m stronger, I’m smarter, I’m better than I used to be,” Jermall said. “He’ll [Sergiy Derevyanchenko] come straight at me and fight. Everyone is doubting me. They are doubting me. I’ve been doubted for years. There’s no anger here.”

“I don’t care what they say about me. I don’t care what they think about me. I’m a fighter. I challenge myself. Hey, I’m the best in the world.”

Jermell Charlo seeks redemption (from the last PBC Charlo Twin headliner) and wants to show the world who the best Jr middleweight is.

“When you think of a lion, you think of family and vicious animals. You have to fight for it,” Jermell said. “We took the road when we was younger and made it out. From where I’m from, not many kids make it out.”

“Rosario, he is just one man and I am just one man. If you are better than me, beat me. You may think it’s just that easy, it ain’t that easy. I want all the belts and right now, I feel like I’m the king of the division.”

Both brothers face stiff tests this weekend. The action in the ring will more than likely match the intrigue of the surrounding plots for each participant. We’ll see if Lions do in fact rule the jungle this weekend.

Posted on 09/23/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Jeison Rosario didn’t seem to be anything special. 

He began his career like any typical prospect. Meaning he ran right through lower level opposition. In his first official step up contest however, he was brutally knocked out by fringe contender Nathaniel Gallimore. Two fights later, Rosario would have to settle for a split draw against Mark Hernandez, further solidifying his spot on the bottom of the totem pole. 

Yet with six straight wins under his belt, trainer Derrick James is noticing a pattern. 

“He gets better and better with each fight,” said James during an interview with Fight Hub. “He’s put together some pretty good fights, he’s a tough guy, he’s a big guy and a big puncher.”

Rosario, 25, further cemented the thoughts of James in his last contest when the heavy underdog in Rosario walked into the backyard of then unified Jr middleweight champion Julian Williams and not only won the titles, but ripped them away from the lifeless body of the Philadelphia native as he was left slumped over the ropes in the fifth round.

“I watched that fight and I thought man, this guy is pretty good.” 

Rosario may have upset the odds once this year, but bookies and wise guys aren’t expecting him to make them look silly two times in a row as he takes on a Derrick James led fighter in WBC Jr middleweight belt holder Jermell Charlo this Saturday night. 

Something interesting has happened to the aforementioned Charlo. During the early portion of his career, judges knew his name quite well. Reason being is that most of his contest lasted until the final bell. Sure he had a bit of pop in his punches, but for the most part, he seemed more than content with out boxing his opponents. 

Yet, the moment he won his world title in 2016, a light switch turned on for the Houston native. Whether he went the full 12 rounds or stopped his opponents in their tracks, he realized that his paycheck remained the same. 

From there, he began leaving his opposition unconscious early and often. 

Still, even with Charlo’s tendency of laying out his opponents, he may take a backseat to Rosario in terms of power. The Dominican Republic native has knocked out three of his past four opponents and 14 of his total 22 pro contests have ended in a Rosario stoppage win.

When questioned about his power, Charlo seemed both unimpressed and unconcerned. James on the other hand, has his antenna’s up.

“He’s a devastating puncher. He’s a very violent puncher. He punches with violent intent.” 

The knockouts always get the most attention, but doing so will leave many to believe that he’s a one trick pony. Thankfully for Charlo however, James isn’t most people and he’s done a thorough background check on every skill that Rosario has in his arsenal. 

“He’s patient and blocks shots, he’s also good at counter punching. He’s just a well rounded fighter. But the better the opposition is, the better Jermell is. But I’m sure Rosario is the same way. I think you could be possibly looking at fight of the year.”

Posted on 07/24/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Grotesque mismatches were becoming the norm in this new COVID-19 boxing landscape. Financial issues and the lack of a live audience gave promoters the right to place uninteresting matchups on television screens across the world. 

While it was appreciated, fans were grinding their teeth as they saw predictable fight after predictable fight. Compelling and interesting matchups would have to wait until the back end of 2020 or worse, sometime in 2021. 

For Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) however, they would hear none of it. 

Earlier this week PBC announced their SHOWTIME schedule for the remainder of 2020, and it did not disappoint. Numerous championship matchups have now flooded boxing fans’ once desolate schedule. With so many interesting contests, we’ve decided to rank the best five from the group. 

Every contest on the docket is worth watching, but here’s our choice for the best of the best of PBC’s SHOWTIME Boxing schedule.

5. Erickson Lubin vs Terrell Gausha 

Erickson Lubin (22-1, 16 KOs) has been waiting to prove that he isn’t a hype job. The former ESPN prospect of the year looked to be the real deal during the early portion of his career. However, a right hand from Jermell Charlo in Lubin’s first crack at a world title in 2017, put an end to that notion. Since then, Lubin has been hard at work reshaping his image. The Florida native has picked up four straight wins with three coming via stoppage, and now finds himself in a WBC title eliminator against Terrell Gausha. 

Much like Lubin, the former Olympian has done some reshaping of his own, although not as successful. After losing a one sided contest in his own bid to win a world title contest against Erislandy Lara in 2017, Gausha (21-1-1, 10 KOs) has been both inactive, fighting only once a year, and lackluster, scoring a draw against Austin Trout in his last ring appearance. 

Not only are these two fairly evenly matched, but with the next title shot up for grabs, there is plenty on the line.

4. Nonito Donaire vs Nordine Oubaali 

The retirement train was thought to have long left the station with Nonito Donaire onboard. Yet, it appears that the 37 year old isn’t ready to pack up and leave just yet. After suffering losses to Jessie Magdaleno and Carl Frampton, Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs) received a bit of luck in reaching the finals of the World Boxing Super Series in 2019. 

Meeting him there, was pound for pound star Naoya Inoue. The easy win that was predicted for Inoue was anything but that as Donaire gave him the toughest fight of his life. He may have come out on the losing end, but his performance has earned him a crack at WBC belt holder Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs). 

For most of his six year career, Oubaali has made it look easy. But while Donaire will walk into this one as an underdog, he has already proven that he has plenty left in the tank. 

3. Jermell Charlo vs Jeison Rosario 

Of all the matchups on this list, WBC titlist Jermell Charlo and his unification matchup against WBA and IBF champion Jeison Rosario, was the most surprising. 

Rosario came out of absolutely nowhere last year when he ripped away the titles from Julian Williams. Instead of sitting back on his laurels and milking his belts for easy paydays, Rosario has decided to attempt to add even more to his hardware collection. 

Charlo (33-1, 17 KOs) has gotten over his Tony Harrison saga and now finds himself fighting to become a unified champion. The betting public is already backing Charlo heavily, but they did the same when Rosario took on Williams, so he has no problem with the little amount of faith shown in him. 

2. Gervonta Davis vs Leo Santa Cruz 

For as explosive and dangerous as Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) has looked during his career, fans were beginning to roll their eyes whenever a new unknown fighter stood across the ring from him. A highlight reel knockout is always waiting to happen, but resistance seldom followed. 

On October 24th, however, Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) will be looking to give Davis all he can handle when they face off. The four division world champion has grown tired of constant murmurs that he has eschewed the competition. 

The storyline behind this one is simple. Davis has the punching power and speed on his side, while Santa Cruz is banking on his punch output and relentless pressure. 

The winner of this one will have answered a ton of questions, while the loser on the other hand, will see their stock plummet.

1. Jermall Charlo vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko 

Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) has gained a reputation. He’s a big puncher, aggressive personality and an unknown commodity. Even with wins over Julian Williams and Austin Trout, Charlo continues to hear the doubters. He’s asked for big name fights against the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, but you can hear a pin drop from either of those fighters in regards to interest. 

Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) may not be the opponent that he wanted, but he is without question his toughest test yet. With two razor close decision losses to Daniel Jacobs and the aforementioned Golovkin, many believe that the Ukrainian born contender should already hold a world title. Nevertheless, he’ll pick up his third chance against Charlo on September 26th. 

The intrigue surrounding this one is huge. In a contest that can be essentially decided with the flip of a coin, it ranks number one on our list of the best fights to watch on the SHOWTIME Boxing schedule.

Posted on 07/22/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Both Jermell and Jermall Charlo have spent their entire lives sharing. As twin brothers this comes as no surprise. But on September 26th, they will share a once in a lifetime moment with one another as they’ll headline a FOX PPV. 

Jermall, who holds the WBC middleweight title, will look to pull off the biggest win of his career when he takes on former two time title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs). The Ukrainian born contender is best known for his work against Daniel Jacobs in October of 2018 and Gennadiy Golovkin in October of 2019. On both occasions, he found himself on the short end of the stick, but saw his stock rise with each defeat.

With a third crack at the championship apple, Derevyanchenko is hoping to hear the announcer say “And New” once the night is over. The thought of losing his title however, hasn’t crossed the mind of Jermall. With matchups against Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin possibly in his immediate future, the WBC titlist is focused solely on Derevyanchenko. 

“This guy is rated number one in the world,” said Jermall to Brain Custer during a recent Zoom interview. “He’s going to take the job seriously and so am I.”

The word boring has never been associated with a Jermall Charlo fight, and come September 26th, he isn’t expecting that narrative to change. 

“We’re going to both meet in the middle and let our hands go. May the best man win. My game plan will be to shut his game plan down.”

Jermall (30-0, 22 KOs) has always wanted the spotlight to himself, but he is more than happy to share it with his twin brother and fellow champion Jermell (33-1, 17 KOs).

Meeting him on the night will be the upset minded Jeison Rosario (20-1-1, 14 KOs), who holds two major titles in the Jr middleweight division. The Dominican Republic born champion made the betting world look silly earlier this year against then champion Julian Williams. Rosario stepped into the former champions backyard in Philadelphia and didn’t just take the titles from Williams, he ripped them away with a fifth round stoppage.

Despite his big time win, Jermell is expecting his title reign to be truncated the moment they step inside the ring against one another.

“I don’t want to leave it up to the judges, I learned that in my past,” said Jermell to Brain Custer. “I deliver knockouts, that’s what I do.”

There is a lot riding on the line for the Charlo twins on the night of September 26th. For Jermall, a win over Derevyanchenko won’t simply shut the mouths of his critics, and for Jermell, winning his contest against Rosario will bring him much more than an additional two titles. 

No, for the Charlo twins, they believe that this is their shining moment while the rest of the world is sequestered at home with no other choice but to tune in. 

Titles and big wins are secondary for them.

“We will let everyone in the world see the great things that me and my twin brother have done in the sport of boxing,” said Jermall.

“Now is our time to be PPV stars. Everyone will say that they are boxing, and that they are pound for pound.”

Posted on 07/21/2020

By: Hans Themistode

One title has never been enough for WBC Jr middleweight belt holder Jermell Charlo. For years, he begged for a showdown with WBA/IBF champ Jarrett Hurd and seemed to be on his way to having his wish granted. 

Yet, as fate would have it, their showdown was not meant to be. Charlo suffered a surprise loss to Tony Harrison while Hurd took one on the chin against Julian Williams. Charlo however, would go on to grab his title back from Harrison and immediately set his sights on Williams. But once again, fate stepped in as Jeison Rosario snatched the titles from him earlier this year. 

With the IBF and WBA titles going from fighter to fighter like a carousel, Charlo is hoping that he’ll be next to claim them as he and Rosario are headed towards a showdown. 

According to Steve Kim of ESPN, Rosario’s request to bypass his mandatory and jump straight into a unification matchup with Charlo was accepted by the IBF. Sources have also told Kim that negotiations are moving along in a positive direction and the contest is being targeted for late September.

For Charlo, news of a showdown with Rosario is music to his ears. Since the unified champion placed himself on the map with his fifth round pounding over Julian Williams, Charlo was the first person to raise his hand to be his next opponent. 

Any thoughts of a competitive matchup between the two will be laughable to Charlo. Once the pair step inside of the ring together, he is expecting one way traffic.

“I’m here to eat,” said Charlo to Ray Flores of Premier Boxing Champions several months ago. “If he’s in the way then he’s getting trucked. It’s been a dream to get all of the belts.”

Pre-fight trash talk is something that Charlo has always excelled in, but as for Rosario, he showed no interest in puffing out his chest and making threats to Charlo several months ago. He simply wants to step inside of the ring and prove who is the best fighter in the Jr middleweight division. 

“I want to unify the 154-pound division,” said Rosario to Ray Flores several months ago. “My objective, if I have my choice, is Jermell Charlo. He is the best in the division, and I want to prove that I am truly the best at 154.”

Posted on 05/19/2020

By: Hans Themistode

The fans were sent home stunned when their man, former unified Jr Middleweight champion Julian Williams was stopped in the fifth round of his contest against Jeison Rosario. Odds makers tabbed Williams as a 15-1 favorite and many of his backers were already looking ahead. 

A unification clash against WBC titlist Jermell Charlo made the most sense. But first, Williams needed to take out Rosario. 

Williams stood in his corner as the punches rained down on him, forcing the referee to put a halt to the contest. Williams hometown crowd may have stood with their jaws touching the ground, but Derrick James, trainer of Charlo wasn’t as surprised.

“In boxing, like life, you never know what will happen,” James said to Boxingscene.com. “Some people get very focused. He was very focused, his skill set was great and I think he was up for that fight that day. He wasn’t gonna take a loss. He stepped up and he fought great. He fought phenomenally. It was a very competitive fight up until the third round or so. When J-Rock got cut, that’s when it started to turn a little bit, in the second round. That’s when Rosario picked it up and J-Rock kind of faded a little bit.”

Still, even with Rosario officially on the radar of both the boxing fans and his contemporaries, James is backing his man should they meet in the near future. 

“I think Jermell will win the fight. He’s a great boxer. Rosario looked really good against J-Rock [Williams], but I feel like Jermell’s gonna get him. Rosario’s a great fighter, but Jermell’s speed and his athleticism will come into play. His ability will come into play.”

Rosario made a statement on the night against Williams, but Charlo made one of his own in his last ring appearance. He dusted himself off after suffering the first defeat of his career to win the rematch against Tony Harrison via 11th round stoppage. It was a back and forth fight between the two before Charlo ended it emphatically. 

“I was pleased, especially down the stretch,” James said of Charlo’s performance. “It was a tough fight. He totally changed the fight. It was like they both pushed each other to the next level. Jermell put it together toward the end and he kept fighting in the middle rounds. Even though Tony had some good spots and some good rounds, Jermell kept fighting and started landing some shots. And then he landed that same hook he landed in the second round. It was great. I loved it.”

Posted on 03/09/2020

By: Hans Themistode

When Jarrett Hurd walked around the Jr Middleweight division as a champion, it was thought that he could not be beat. The 29 year old had already collected the names of Tony Harrison, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara on his resume. So when Julian Williams was chosen as his next man in line, no one thought much of it. 

Williams was good, maybe even really good. But great? Absolutely not. 

The book on Williams was already released. In terms of skills, he’s second to none. But he just flat out can’t take a shot. In 2016, Williams was stopped in his first bid to win a world title against then champion Jermall Charlo. Call it unfair if you want, but once a fighter suffers a brutal knockout loss, not much is expected of them. 

With Hurd being just as big and just as strong as Charlo, the unified champ was expected to walk right through him on December 1st, 2018, in front of his hometown fans at EagleBank Arena, Fairfax Virginia. 

Boxing, like always, is the theater of the unknown. You just never know what you’re going to get once a fighter walks inside of that ring. 

Williams may have been a heavy underdog, but remove the word under, and that will show you what he was on the night. A dog. 

Williams dropped and beat down Hurd to take away every single one of his three Jr Middleweight straps. 

Surprising? Yes. But even more so was what happened next. 

Hurd elected to not pick up his immediate rematch clause with Williams. The criticism quickly came flying and Williams led the way. 

“I’m just a bad style matchup for him,” said Williams a few months back. “I’ll beat him every single time, so no, I’m not surprised that he didn’t take the rematch.”

Sometimes karma can take a really long time to come back full circle. But make no mistake about it, she always comes back. 

On May 11th, 2019, Williams found himself on the wrong end of an upset victory of his own at the hands of Jeison Rosario, in front of his hometown crowd in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The loss was surprising, but not nearly as much as what happened more recently. 

Williams had no choice. He had to take the immediate rematch with Rosario, even if he didn’t want to. The former unified champ had gone on record several times criticizing Hurd for not doing the same. If Williams chose to go in another direction, then that would be ironic to say the least. Well, it now seems as though Williams will be following in those same critiqued footsteps. 

Williams has officially decided to forgo his rematch option and instead will choose to rest after recent surgery. So now, the playbook of Rosario which contained only one name before the news Williams broke, has now opened up in a big way.

Fights with WBC titlist Jermell Charlo, along with former belt holders Erislandy Lara and Tony Harrison are now officially on the table. Still, assuming he is still a belt holder down the line, Rosario could still be matched up with Williams after he has recovered. 

For now, the same criticism that Hurd was forced to deal with for months on end, will now be placed on the shoulders of Williams. No one, especially former champion Jarrett Hurd will feel apathetic towards his situation.