By: William Holmes
On Saturday night the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California will be the host site for a highly anticipated WBC Junior Middleweight Title fight between Jermell Charlo and Tony Harrison. Harrison was able to win a close bout over Charlo in their first fight, and Charlo is looking for revenge and to prove he’s still a top fighter in the junior middleweight division.
Former world champion, Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux was set to face Liborio Solis in the co-main event of the evening in a bantamweight bout, but visa issues for Solis forced that fight to be cancelled. Rigondeaux will no longer be fighting on Saturday.
Other bouts on the undercard include a heavyweight fight between Efe Ajagba and Isago Kiladze, a junior lightweight bout between Jhack Tepora and Oscar Escandon, and a super middleweight bout between Andre Dirrell and Juan Ubaldo Cabrera. Other fighters on the undercard include Huge Centeno Jr., Juan Macias Montiel, Eimantas Stanionis, Karlos Balderas, and Adrian Taylor.
The following is a preview of the main event of the evening.
Tony Harrison (28-2) vs. Jermell Charlo (32-1); WBC Junior Middleweight Title
Tony Harrison and Jermell Charlo previously met in December of 2018, and featured a shocking upset as Harrison won by scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113. Most ringside observers felt Charlo won that bout, with scores as wide as 117-111 on some unofficial scorecards.
However, one year later Jermell Charlo gets to try and seek his revenge. Unfortunately for Harrison, he has not fought since he defeated Charlo. Charlo on the otherhand was able to face and defeat Jorge Cota before getting his rematch.
Harrison and Charlo are both 29 years old. Harrison will have about a two inch height advantage and a three and a half inch reach advantage.
Harrison hasn’t fought yet in 2019, and fought three times in 2018 and twice in 2017. Charlo fought once already in 2019, twice in 2018, and twice in 2017.
Both boxers were fairly successful on national amateur scene. Harrison is a former US Golden Gloves Bronze Medalist. Charlo won the Junior Olympics Bronze Medal.
Charlo’s only loss was to Tony Harrison. His resume as a professional is impressive and he had defeated the likes of Jorge Cota, Austin Trout, Erickson Lubin, Charles Hatley, John Jackson, Jachim Alcine, Vanes Martirosyan, Gabriel Rosado, Demetrius Hopkins, and Harry Joe Yorgey.
Harrison has lost to the likes of Willie Nelson and Jarrett Hurd, both by stoppage. His wins aren’t as impressive as Charlo, but he has defeated the likes of Ishe Smith, George Sosa, Paul Valenzuela, Fernando Guerrero, Tyron Brunson, Bronco McKart, and Antwone Smith.
Even though Harrison won their first fight, most felt Charlo won. Harrison’s inactivity since then will not help him and Charlo appears to be very motivated to win the rematch and re-establish himself as a champion.
This writer expects Charlo to win, convincingly, on Saturday night.