Jermall Charlo

Jermall Charlo, born on May 19, 1990, in Lafayette, Louisiana, is an African-American boxer who happens to be the identical twin brother of Jermell Charlo. This twin duo evokes memories of 1980s boxing fans who fondly recall the Spinks brothers from St. Louis, Missouri, or in more recent times, the Benavidez brothers. Like many boxing families with several world champions, Jermall and his brother were guided by their father, Kevin Charlo, who nurtured their natural talents and instilled their lionhearted spirit in them. Their lionhearted nature allowed both Charlo brothers to develop a strong stable of fighters in Texas, which they now call home. Most of these fighters are directly coached by Derrick James, the 2022 Boxing Trainer of the Year. Among the stable are some of the biggest stars in boxing, such as Errol Spence Jr. and Anthony Joshua, to name a few. This environment undoubtedly fostered the exchange of some of the best knowledge in the sport during this African-American boxing renaissance.

Jermall Charlo made his professional debut in 2008 against Cimarron Davis, winning by TKO. He remained dominant in the lower ranks of professional boxing for some time before earning his first world title shot in 2015 against Cornelius Bundrage for the IBF strap, which he won by TKO at Super Welterweight. After defending the IBF Super Welterweight title three times, Charlo moved up to middleweight, where he became a two-division champion in 2019 by defeating Brandon Adams via a unanimous decision. Charlo successfully defended his WBC Middleweight title four times before taking a break from boxing to focus on the most critical aspect of the sport: his mental health.

Much like his brother Jermell, Jermall Charlo is renowned for his devastating knockout power. He has accumulated 32 victories, with 22 of those wins coming by knockout, highlighting his ability to end fights with a single punch. Despite his intimidating knockout ability, Charlo possesses excellent footwork, a hallmark of all Derrick James fighters. He can disrupt an opponent's rhythm with a simple left hook while maneuvering both forward and backward. His side steps can catch even the best boxers off-guard, serving multiple purposes in counterpunching, defense, and offense. Additionally, Charlo and his team excel at game planning, making it challenging for opponents to land clean shots on him. Furthermore, Charlo's adaptability shines as he can adjust his style on the fly based on his opponent's strengths and weaknesses, capitalizing on opponents who grow desperate during a fight. Charlo also boasts a stable of Derrick James-trained fighters known for their explosive jabs, slick head movement, and proficiency in counterpunching, walking down opponents, and fighting on the back foot. Through his accomplishments, Jermall Charlo has played a significant role in putting Texas on the map in boxing, marking him as a key figure in the future of the sport, much like his Instagram handle suggests.

Jermall Charlo also exhibits the stoic virtue of temperance, knowing when to go all in and when it's time to step back. His decision to take a break from boxing for the sake of his mental health underscores the importance of conquering one's inner battles to excel in any aspect of boxing or life. His ability to openly address and prioritize mental health demonstrates sophistication both inside and outside the ring.