Jermall Charlo loses title after arrest
A day after Houston boxer Jermall Charlo was arrested in Pearland after a vehicle collision that led to three misdemeanor charges, his attorney says he expects the fighter to be cleared of any wrongdoing.
The 33-year-old undefeated fighter was arrested at 7:54 p.m. Monday after a collision on Broadway Street and charged with driving while intoxicated, fleeing police and a collision involving damage to a vehicle. Kent Schaeffer, Charlo’s attorney, denied his client was intoxicated or tried to run from the police. Although he was still gathering evidence from the incident, Schaeffer said Charlo didn’t have his blood tested and doesn’t think he took a breathalyzer.
“I believe Jermall will be exonerated,” Schaeffer said Tuesday. “The information that I have is he had not been drinking, he was
not intoxicated, and he did not run from the police.”
Schaeffer said Charlo had a friend driving behind him who will confirm that information.
Despite fighting just once since 2021, Charlo owned the World Boxing Council middleweight world title before Tuesday when the WBC announced it was stripping him of the belt and giving it to Carlos Adames.
Charlo, who grew up in Alief and currently lives in Sugar Land, defended his world title in Houston in June 2021, but took more than two years off while he dealt with a back injury and then later with mental health issues.
Before he returned to the ring with a unanimous decision win over Jose Benavides Jr., in November,
Charlo said he had suicidal thoughts during his time off.
“I went in a hole and I tried to dig myself out of it, but I was just putting myself deeper in it,” he said in November. “It’s one of those things that I had to speak on and get myself out of it. You’ve got to speak on it. Don’t hold it in. Don’t let it cave your chest in. Just keep pressing on and persevering.”
Charlo has long been brought up as a possible opponent for Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, who beat Charlo’s twin brother Jermell in September. After Canelo beat Jamie Munguia on Saturday, there were reports that Jermall Charlo or Edgar Berlanga could be next for the world champion.
“The WBC has provided and will continue to do as much as possible to support Jermall Charlo during his difficult times with regard to mental wellness,” the boxing organization said in a statement released late Tuesday night.