Jermall Charlo broke a long absence from the ring with a clear, 10-round decision win over Jose Benavidez Jr tonight in Las Vegas.
Charlo won the fight on scores of 98-92, 99-91, and 100-90. Bad Left Hook had it 98-92 and 99-91 for Charlo on two separate unofficial cards.
It’s a performance that has to be taken with a bit of salt in terms of judging Charlo (33-0, 22 KO), who hadn’t fought since June 2021, didn’t make the contract weight here, and was fighting a naturally much smaller and very limited opponent.
It should also come as no real surprise that the fight went the full 10 rounds. First of all, Benavidez (28-3-1, 19 KO) is a very tough dude, and second, Charlo needed the time back in a live fight to get ready for what he will hope to be a far more active and much bigger 2024.
Benavidez was repeatedly warned for fouls by referee Harvey Dock, and it was clear over the fight that these two truly just don’t like one another very much, that was not just hype in the build.
SHOStats saw Charlo landing 243 of 613 (40%) total punches against the game but over-matched Benavidez, who connected on 86 of 446 (19%). Charlo landed 127 of 279 (46%) power punches to Benavidez’s 65 of 263 (25%). Charlo also landed 116 jabs to Benavidez’s 21, and 47 body shots to Benavidez’s 16.
“There’s no grade (for my performance). We don’t gotta grade this one. I’ll be back stronger, just know that. I’m proud of myself, though” Charlo said.
Asked what division is best for him going forward, having failed to make a 163 lb contract weight by over three lbs, and also holding the WBC middleweight title still, Charlo more or less declined to answer, saying only that he wants to “bring on the best fights.”