Report- Jermell Charlo-Tim Tszyu To Meet In January

It looks like undisputed jr. middleweight champ Jermell Charlo and top WBO contender Tim Tszyu will be meeting next after all. At least that’s what a Wednesday morning report in Australia says about the bout and that it is on for January of next year.

Ben Damon, manager and commentator for Australia’s Main Event TV, put on social media that he’s learned that Charlo-Tszyu has been agreed to for January 28th,

Date locked in 🔒#CharloTszyu for all the belts on 28 January 2023 (29 January AEDT) 🇺🇸 🇦🇺 🥊 pic.twitter.com/uoc8IF5nmj

— Ben Damon (@ben_damon) July 12, 2022

Damon went on to post that the Tszyu camp had been pushing for an October date, but that Premier Boxing Champions and Charlo wanted to wait for the best date/venue.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear if/how it has been resolved that Charlo wouldn’t have to defend his WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO titles against IBF mandatory challenger Bakhram Murtazaliev?

As our Dan Rafael wrote last month Murtazaliev demanded that the WBO and Tom Brown of TGB Promotions, who’s involved with Charlo, back off making the deal with Tszyu before fighting him.

“Murtazaliev’s team sent WBO president Paco Valcarcel and TGB Promotions president Tom Brown, Charlo’s promoter, a letter on Monday to reminding them that Charlo’s IBF mandatory defense is supposed to come before the WBO’s under the rotation system for mandatory defenses that was agreed to years ago by the sanctioning organizations for them to operate under when there is a unified champion. Under the rotation system the oldest mandatory takes precedence.

“There exists a contract for Jermell Charlo to fight against Bakhram Murtazaliev and it appears that the WBO is interfering with that contract and with the prospective economic advantage of Bakhram Murtazaliev,” Pat English, the attorney for Murtazaliev promoter Main Events, wrote in the letter, which was copied to several others involved, including Team Tszyu and IBF members, and obtained by Big Fight Weekend.

“In order that there be no dispute regarding the Charlo/Castano rematch certain promises were made, in writing, by both Jermell Charlo and TGB Promotions. Charlo agreed that he had ten days to either relinquish the title (after the Castano rematch) or he would proceed to fight Bakhram, who is the IBF mandatory,” English continued in the letter. “Mr. Charlo did not relinquish the IBF title and plans have been proceeding for that match. Indeed, there is a contract and a substantial sum of money in my trust account for the fight.”

Russia’s Murtazaliev’s (20-0, 15 KOs), 29, who fights out of Oxnard, California, became IBF mandatory challenger via a unanimous decision over Jorge Fortea in a title elimination bout on Nov. 2, 2019. He has since fought three times in nontitle fights, two on Charlo undercards and one on Tszyu’s March 26 undercard, that were part of a step-aside deal that had allowed Charlo to temporarily bypass the him….

As part of English’s letter to the WBO and Brown, he included a document signed by Charlo on Jan. 22 acknowledging his commitment to next face Murtazaliev.

In the letter, Charlo agreed that if he still held the IBF title following the rematch with Castano that he would have 10 days to decide whether to vacate that belt or “next engage in my mandatory against Bakhram Murtazaliev. If notice of my decision is not provided within said ten business day period, I shall defend my IBF title against Murtazaliev in my next bout.”

Charlo further promised that he would not apply to the IBF for another exception to the mandatory to fight anybody other than Murtazaliev. He also authorized TGB Promotions “to give notice on my behalf under this Acknowledgement. I agree to be bound by the terms of this Acknowledgement. I understand that New Jersey Sports Productions, Inc. (Main Events), as the promoter of Bakhram Murtazaliev, and Bakhram Murtazaliev, are relying on this Acknowledgement.”

So, it’s unclear if another “step aside” has been reached with the Russian Murtazaliev or if Charlo, Tszyu, PBC and others are attempting to proceed with their fight and skip him. If so, Charlo could obviously be in jeopardy of being stripped by the IBF for their portion of the 154 lb. title.

Now, we wait for that part of the scenario and further confirmation of possible Charlo-Tszyu to start 2023.