By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
Now they get their opportunity to showcase two championships and on the same card. Jermall and Jermell Charlo are at times difficult to distinguish. Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn the brothers who hold separate titles will be in the spotlight.
They are the twins of boxing and showcase the first boxing event of a new Fox Sports television deal with the PBC. These are twin brothers from Houston, Texas that have made an impact and with Fox and the PBC there will be more exposure. They highlight and close the last major boxing show of the year that was an exciting one for the sport.
Yes, it’s their time. It always was with Showtime and the PBC. But Saturday evening, in prime time, this is huge for these brothers who always spark interest the way they talk and create more buzz for the boxing fan.
Both are 28 years old, undefeated, and the Charlo brothers are beating the competition. Their styles do create that interest, and it sold for Fox to debut them in prime time for this initial broadcast of free programming almost every other Saturday in the new year for the sport.
Jermall, 27-0, 21 KO’s, will defend the interim middleweight title for the first time against Matt Korobov, a former challenger in the division who was scheduled in another fight on the undercard and got the shot after Willie Monroe Jr. was scrapped due to testing positive for high levels of testosterone.
Jermell, 31–0-15 KO’s, and his WBC Junior Middleweight title will be defended a fourth time against Tony Harrison. He wins and that likely sets up a unification fight with Jarrett Hurd.
So much alike and one letter in their first names is the only way to make the distinction. And when this card was announced, it took a coin flip to determine what brother would be the main event and who would co-main. Jermall won the coin toss.
“People that don’t really know us or understand why we do this,” Jermell said. “Now they got a real reason to see it. It almost feels like a collaboration with the NFL and being on FOX.”
Some say the Charlo twins are controversial as they tend to cause eruptions at ringside and interrupt an interview or two in the ring because they always seek that exposure.There is that entourage that follows them. A few months ago, when entering the Barclays Center for a PBC/Showtime show, there was havoc entering the press area of the arena.
Those eruptions cause more tension and at times their character is put to question. In the end, when they get in the ring it’s what the boxing fans want. They know how to fight, are good at it, and finish off opponents.
“Me and my brother are both hunger,” Jermall said. “We want the fans and everyone to know that we’re the best in the world. Sooner or later the rest of the world will know it. I’m one of the guys at middleweight that’s been getting overlooked. People think I might not have done enough in the division, but that’s only because I haven’t got the chance to fight the best out there.”
This is the third consecutive Saturday boxing card in New York City. Top Rank staged the first of two at Madison Square Garden that highlighted undefeated and unified light champion Vasyl Lomachenko who many considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the business.
Last weekend, Canelo Alvarez moved up in weight and took home the super middleweight title at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in the main arena. Jermall is in line to be the mandatory challenger for Alvarez and his unified middleweight titles. So boxing is hot in New York and with more to come in the new year at Barclays and the Garden.
The Charlo brothers are expected to keep that enthusiasm going. Oh, of course with no controversy and allowing their styles to portray them as legitimate and good faces for the sport.
“People doubt that I’m the best at 154-pounds and that fuels my fire,” Jermell said. “These other fighters are just in my way. I look at every fight as 0-0 for both guys. I don’t care about any extra stuff going on. We’re both coming to fight and we’ll see who wins.”
This end of the year punch. These brothers do deliver and the exposure of being on the same card as the co-feature and main event is not a coin toss. They are talented and the titles are up for grabs.
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