هوستون, TEXAS (فوریه 16, 2017) – Undefeated champion Jermall چارلو، مونتانا relinquished the IBF junior middleweight title this afternoon in order to pursue bigger challenges and another world championship in the middleweight division.

چارلو، مونتانا, 26, who lives and trains in Houston, has a sterling record of 25-0 با 19 کوس. He won the title with a TKO victory over Cornelius Bundrage on Sept. 12, 2015, و سه بار با موفقیت از آن دفاع کرد, defeating Wilky Campfort, former 154-pound champion Austin Trout and top contender Julian Williams. Charlo leaves the division after an impressive KO victory over Williams at the Galen Center on the USC campus in Los Angeles on Dec. 10, 2016.

تونی هریسون (24-1, 20 کوس) and Jarrett Hurd (19-0, 13 کوس) will battle for the vacant IBF 154-pound title on the undercard of Deontay Wilder defending his heavyweight title against Gerald Washington on primetime on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama on روز شنبه, فوریه 25. پوشش تلویزیونی در آغاز می شود 8 p.m. و/5 p.m. PT.

Charlo’s twin brother, Jermell, still has the WBC 154-pound title and will defend it against Charles Hatley at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland on روز شنبه, مارس 11.

“I’ve been thinking about moving to 160 pounds for a while now,” چارلو گفت. “It was a struggle for me to make the weight for the last title fight. Once I captured the title I defended it immediately, because I wasn’t sure how long I could hold the weight. I held it an extra year to fight Austin Trout and Julian Williams. I feel there are bigger and better things for me at 160 where I can still hold my weight and be stronger. The idea of being a two-time world champion is a big goal for me.

“If there were a big fight at 154 pounds left for me, I’d stick around and wait for it. But there isn’t anything there that can be made quickly. And I wouldn’t fight my brother or my gym mate and close friend, Erislandy Lara.”

Charlo’s trainer, رانی شیلدز, is in favor of the move up to a higher division.

“It’s a move that has to be made,” گفت سپر. “He was definitely having trouble making that weight. No sense in holding himself down in making that weight. Going up to 160 pounds is a must. I think he does well there. He’s big enough to handle the weight. It’s not like we have to do anything special to compete at 160 پوند. That’s basically what he is – a middleweight.”

Charlo doesn’t anticipate any problems with moving up. He plans to make his middleweight debut soon.

“I’ve been training for a couple weeks now. It’s like a mini-camp. I’ve been shaking out,” چارلو گفت. “We’re looking at May to be completely ready. I’m a big athlete already. I’m just looking forward to taking my superstar status and competing with the big boys up there.”