Jermall Charlo has it all—the fame, the gold strap, and the WBC’s backing despite being on the shelf for over 28 months. The criticism grew louder as the American boxer’s absence from the square ring stretched further. While he makes his long-awaited return against Jose Benavidez Jr. this Saturday, his 160-pound crown will not be on the line. The WBC continues to rob other top middleweight contenders by shielding ‘Hitman’, who treats the WBC title as “a trophy”.

“It’s nothing but a trophy. It’s nothing but a trophy dog,” Charlo, dismissive of the title’s worth, told the media during the press conference recently. That’s all you need to know about his perception of the title he last defended against Juan Macias Montiel in June 2021. Further, there are rumors that Charlo will not stick around in the division for long. His appearance in the boxing ring dwindled for years until it dried off completely. The 33-year-old has no markings of a champion.

Jermall Charlo: A juggling-around, non-fighting champion

Before he last defended the title back in 2021, Charlo was only turning in an annual show for his fans as a title defense. He never attained the fighting-champion persona and laid back, raking in millions. In addition, his constant comments about chasing a fight with Canelo Alvarez or moving up always caused a stir.

The boxing community has made peace with the blurring lines between divisions and boxers moving up and down to chase fights. However, inactivity is what plagues and slowly kills boxing. Likewise, as a champion, inactivity is a firm ground to lose that crown. In the past, champions were stripped and punished, and they had to fight back to the top. The WBA stripped Manny Pacquiao of his welterweight crown in 2021.

What fuels the criticism surrounding the WBC and Charlo’s reign as champion is the latter’s public disrespect towards the title he holds. When asked why he still has the title over his shoulder, he responded, “It’s no reason, man. It’s no reason. Y’all want [the WBC belt], you can have it. You come get it tomorrow.” It appears he is the poster boy for the WBC and their middleweight division, and the sanctioning body is afraid of going the IBF way.

The WBC conundrum: Not going the IBF way

The IBF played by the rules when it decided to snatch away Terence Crawford‘s undisputed welterweight title. Meanwhile, WBC’s president, Mauricio Sulaiman, has specified “there’s no limit” for Charlo to make his title defense. WBC’s decision to not accord Charlo the ‘Champion in Recess’ tag has baffled many, including the 160-pound boxers, as it closes down the division.

Neither contender can go for the title, nor can interim champion Carlos Adames keep on defending his title. The division is in a state of flux, and it all stems from Sulaiman’s apparent favoritism for Charlo. For the WBC head honcho, the interim title exits precisely for the same reason.

Read More: “It’s Not That Easy”: Jermall Charlo Relives Personal Memory While Detailing Downside of Fighting on Same Card as His Brother Ahead of David Benavidez vs Demetrius Andrade Fight

“We will be supporting him unconditionally. That is why there is an interim title, so there can be activity in the division… But we will always support our champion, and the good times, and even more in the bad times,” Sulaiman once justified his stances to the reporters. He is far removed from reality for fans, especially the WBC middleweights. WBC sheltering Charlo is the worst nightmare the WBC middleweights have been living for over two years.

A slap on the face of WBC’s top middleweights and the WBC itself

WBC’s top-ranked middleweights have been sitting out for over two years, unable to climb up and fight for the title. The agonizing and frustrating situation has resulted in a dead and cramped-up division with no hopes of a title fight. Additionally, Charlo has yet to return the faith the sanctioning body has in him.

The Lafayette native has been catering to his mental health issues for a while. Despite healing from his injury scars, he weighed 3.4 pounds heavier than the catchweight limit for the Benavidez Jr. fight. It reflected the comments that Jose Benavidez Jr. recently made about him. “The boy’s not disciplined.”

Meanwhile, the 32-0 record holder is long-muted to move up to 168 pounds and considers this Saturday’s fight a “little stepping stone.” You might see him defending his WBC title next, but he’ll move up if his comments and shenanigans suggest anything. Therefore, the WBC has tormented its middleweights for over two years and blocked their shots at the gold, only for Charlo to move up. Even if Charlo decides to stay put, he will only fight for a year, given his recent inactivity habit.

What do you make of the WBC decision not to strip Jermall Charlo? Do you believe it is a slap to the other deserving boxers in the division? Let us know in the comments below.

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