“He’s not hungry anymore” - Fans demand Jermall Charlo be ‘stripped’ of title for failing to make weight in two attempts

WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo recently missed weight for his fight against Jose Benavidez Jr. this weekend. The two pugilists were meant to fight at a contracted catchweight of 163 pounds in a 10-round, non-title bout at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

While Benavidez Jr. weighed in at 161.2 pounds, well below the contracted weight limit, Charlo tipped the scales at 166.4 pounds on his first attempt, 3.4 pounds above the limit. Interestingly, Charlo stepped on the scales for his second attempt and came in heavier at 166.6 pounds.

While fans were excited to see Jermall Charlo return to action after more than two years away, many were disappointed to see 'Hitman' miss weight twice. After boxing reporter Michael Benson posted the news on X, many flocked to the comments section to express their thoughts.

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One fan slammed Jermall Charlo for not making weight and wrote:

"He's not hungry anymore, he's just holding the division up. Strip him already."

Another fan tweeted:

"It might be over for him. Hate to see careers unravel like thi

One user joked about Charlo's altercation with Caleb Plant earlier this year and wrote:

"Caleb slapped him so hard, can't even make weight anymore."

Check out some more reactions below:

Jermall Charlo next fight: Trainer Ronnie Shields on 'Hitman' being ready to return

Legendary boxing coach Ronnie Shields recently weighed in on the Jermall Charlo vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. fight and heaped praise on his pupil for putting in the work to be able to return. As mentioned, Charlo has been away from the ring for over two years and has documented his mental health struggles during this period.

When Charlo was going through his lowest point, Shields knew his star pupil needed to get some guidance from an icon of the sport. Shields contacted Roy Jones Jr., and the former four-division champion invited 'Hitman' to his hometown in Florida. Charlo spent a month and three weeks with Jones Jr. there.

After Jermall Charlo got back to train with Ronnie Shields in Texas, the veteran coach could see a visibly improved 'Hitman' and believes the 33-year-old is capable of competing at the level at which he previously thrived.

In an interview with Boxing Scene, Shields opened up about Charlo's current form and said:

"Slowly but surely, but he’s at a good point in his life right now... I’m gonna tell you, he’s back... And he’s really excited. I see it in his eyes. Just talking to him, I see everything that I need to see – the way he talks, the way he walks, everything. I see a champion.”

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Edited by Aniket Rai