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The undisputed junior middleweight champion is on the mend. Jermell Charlo, holder of the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF titles at 154 pounds, is expected to be sidelined at least two months after suffering a broken hand during a training session this week for his upcoming matchup with Tim Tszyu, which was scheduled for Jan. 28 in Las Vegas. Charlo announced the injury on Saturday.
“I was sparring, and I threw this nice punch and as soon as it landed, I knew something was wrong. I felt my hand throbbing right away,” Charlo said in a statement. “I had two X-rays and an MRI to see what was wrong. It showed it was broken in two places. I hate this feeling. My hand will be in a cast for two months. I’m as disappointed as the fans, maybe more, because this was my first chance to defend the undisputed title.
“The way I am, I would have beaten Tim Tszyu with one hand, but the doctors and the boxing commission won’t allow that. It’s even more dangerous when a lion faces adversity and has to come back to defend the pride. I’ve been training since July, and I’ve been hitting harder than ever, and these are the things that happen when you push yourself to the limits. After my hand heals, I’m coming back stronger than ever to defend my legacy.”
Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) scored a knockout of Jeison Rosario added the WBA and IBF titles to Charlo’s collection before he met Brian Castano in a showdown for undisputed status. Their July 2021 clash produced one of the best fights of the year before ending in a split draw and the rematch this past May was even better, ending when Charlo knocked out Castano in Round 10.