Charlo-Centeno To Fight For Interim WBC Middleweight Title

The World Boxing Council has confirmed that undefeated Jermall Charlo will fight Hugo Centeno for the interim WBC middleweight championship.

Both men will be holding the crown awaiting the current middleweight titleholder, Gennady Golovkin is still negotiating for a rematch with Canelo Alvarez.

The fight is slated by the WBC to take place in January, and more than likely will happen on the Errol Spence and Lamont Peterson card taking place on January 20th at Barclays Center, due to both fighters being managed by Al Heymon.

In an interview with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman with ESPN Deportes, he claimed…

.”The WBC has ordered an interim title fight, precisely so that there are no impediments (for Canelo-GGG 2) and that fight can be made without any problem of affecting the rights of some other boxer. (Jermall) Charlo accepted it, he understands the magnitude and everything is ready for (Canelo, GGG) to negotiate and make the rematch of their fight.”

“It will be Hugo Centeno (to fight Charlo), the next one who is available to fight for the interim title and it was already set down for January. So in the event that Golovkin does not reach an agreement for the fight with Canelo Alvarez, he would have the possibility of making a voluntary defense before thinking about Charlo or Centeno, or again the rematch with Canelo.”

Jermall Charlo who was selected as the mandatory challenger by the WBC, last fought in July against Jorge Sebastian Heiland, and held the IBF title at the 154 pound weight class prior to moving up to middleweight.
Centeno has won two in a row, by knockout, since suffering a TKO loss to Maciej Sulecki in June 2016. Centeno knocked out undefeated Immanuwel Aleem in August.