Jermall Charlo will showcase his talents against Hugo Centeno Jr.
Anytime that identical twins are world champions in any sport, they are unique and extraordinary. The question is, individually, are Jermell and Jermall Charlo the best in their divisions?
The Charlo twins are special. Jermell is the WBC super welterweight champion, and Jermall was the IBF super welterweight champion. Jermall is differentiating himself from his brother by competing as a middleweight and has the chance to become a two-time world champion.
On Saturday, April 21, Jermall Charlo battles Hugo Centeno Jr. for the interim WBC middleweight title. Charlo is a massive betting favorite. The Sports Book Review has him as a -3017 favorite. Oddsmakers aren’t giving Centeno much of a chance nor should they.
Charlo’s record is impressive. He’s undefeated at 26-0, with 20 knockouts. Centeno is 26-1 with 14 KOs. Both of their records are eye-catching, but Charlo’s potential is what makes him an overwhelming favorite.
Charlo has attained a world title. Centeno hasn’t. Centeno has never challenged for a major world title. He has gone a full 10 rounds on four occasions, but he’s never attempted 12. Charlo has only gone 10 rounds once, but he was also victorious in a 12-round title bout against Austin Trout in 2016.
Charlo hasn’t been in deep waters in most fights because he has knocked out most of his opponents. He has a 77 percent KO rating.
As good as Charlo is, he hasn’t faced the best the super welterweight or middleweight divisions have to offer. He has notable victories over Austin Trout, Julian Williams and Cornelius Bundrage who are all good but aren’t great. However, his knockout against Williams was picturesque.
To be fair, there is a dearth of talent in the super welterweight division. Jarrett Hurd and Jermell Charlo are its two most talented boxers. But at middleweight, there is an abundance of talent. Charlo is new to this division, so he has yet to face real competition at this level. Centeno is not a real middleweight contender which is why he’s such a longshot to win this fight.
Centeno also has a loss on his record which hurts his odds. He was stopped in 2016 by Maciej Sulecki. Sulecki is a world-class super welterweight. He’s rated number four in the world by BoxRec.com. The problem is that Sulecki is not a power puncher. He has a 38 percent KO rating and he was able to stop Centeno. If Sulecki can stop Centeno, then a Charlo stands a good chance of knocking him out even earlier.
Charlo wants a fight against the best in the middleweight division. He and Daniel Jacobs have had words on several different occasions. Centeno might be a tuneup bout for a potential fight between Charlo and Jacobs. Jacobs fights Sulecki in late April, so the timing would work out perfectly for a showdown between them.
Centeno is not a bad boxer. He has solid skills and adequate punching power, but he’s not dynamic. He will stay on the outside and circle Charlo. Centeno will try to keep Charlo away with his jab, but Charlo will walk through his punches. Centeno doesn’t have enough power to bother Charlo.
Charlo is a better athlete than Centeno, and he needs to use his athleticism to get inside of Centeno’s long reach. Once Centeno tires and his defense starts to suffer, Charlo will engage with a flurry of punches.
Look for one of these punches to catch Centeno by surprise and end his night. Charlo should stop Centeno in seven or eight rounds.
If Charlo looks exceedingly superb, his stock will go up another notch and a matchup between him and Jacobs will be even more marketable. We know that Charlo is good, but now he has to demonstrate his greatness. Centeno allows him to showcase his skills, but he needs a career-defining performance against the likes of Jacobs to verify his middleweight superiority.
Next: Adrien Broner's last chance against Jessie Vargas
A win over Centeno is a small piece of the puzzle, but Jermall Charlo needs to take things as they come. This fight could be the penultimate step on his path to perfection.