WBC strips Jermall Charlo of middleweight title following Texas DUI arrest

PEARLAND, Texas (AP) — The World Boxing Council has stripped unbeaten Jermall Charlo of his middleweight title following his arrest this week on suspicion of drunken driving in Texas.

The organization’s Board of Governors on Tuesday named Carlos Adames its champion in the division. Charlo hasn’t defended his title since 2021, and Adames became interim champion in October 2022.

Police in the Houston suburb of Pearland arrested the 33-year-old Charlo on three misdemeanor charges Monday night. According to a police report, his blood-alcohol content was measured at over 0.15, twice the legal limit, after he struck another vehicle and fled police.

“The WBC has provided and will continue to do as much as possible to support Jermall Charlo during his difficult times with regards to mental wellness,” the WBC said in a statement. “After a thorough evaluation of the situation and understanding of the facts and times, the WBC may rank Jermall in super middleweight.”

Charlo’s most recent fight was in November, a unanimous-decision victory over Jose Benavidez Jr. in a non-title bout. Charlo is 33-0 with 22 knockouts.