By: Hans Themistode
Jermell Charlo has continued to stack up the wins.
The unified 154-pound titlist has knocked out several top contenders in the division including Tony Harrison, Erickson Lubin and most recently, former unified champion, Jeison Rosario.
Yet, no matter how many times he mows over the competition and regardless of how many world titles are currently sitting on his mantle in his palatial estate, Charlo believes he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. On approximately every pound for pound list, Charlo’s name is absent. While he continues to put his head down and simply put in the work, the Houston native firmly maintains that not only should his name be on every credible pound-for-pound list in the world, but also, that he should be in the top five.
“Absolutely,” said Charlo when asked if he should be near the top of every pound for pound list by Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast. “I feel like I should’ve been there. We don’t know who out here making these lists. They can be judgmental and bias.”
Charlo’s belief that he should be considered one of the top fighters in all of boxing, could receive significant backing in the coming days. On July 17th, the unified 154-pound titlist takes on WBO belt holder, Brian Castano. If Charlo ultimately, finds a way to strap the last title in his division around his waist, he’ll become the first undisputed junior middleweight champion since Winky Wright in 2004. Charlo would also become the first to register undisputed honors in the four-belt era.
Still, even with those credentials, the Houstonian isn’t exactly excited about becoming a pound-for-pound stalwart. Considering the large sums of cash that’s deposited into his bank account after every ring appearance and the proliferation of great fighters across multiple weight classes, Charlo couldn’t care less if his skills are finally recognized as one of the best in the world.
“It doesn’t matter for me if they say that I’m not the top, there’s a lot of fighters in this world. There’s some guys that don’t even get the recognition that they deserve. There are guys in the top five that’s not even making anywhere close to the money that I’m making.”
