WBO Allows Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano To Fight in May

The uncertainty around the highly anticipated, Undisputed Jr. Middleweight title bout between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano seems to be resolved. At least, the WBO says, for their part, that it is.

The organization announced Thursday night that they will not maintain their previous ordering of Castano to meet their #1 contender Tim Tszyu. That was their reaction to Castano having developed a biceps injury to delay the originally scheduled March matchup with Charlo.

Official: Resolution @WorldBoxingOrg Jr. Middleweight Champion @briancastanobox https://t.co/2TjuA5JGm9@TGBpromotions @TwinCharlo @JakeNDaBox @pugboxing @SteveKim323 @DanRafael1 @MikeCoppinger @Idecboxing @boxingscene @LoMejorDelBoxeo @Dalonsofbox @JCTapiaLMB @ChavaESPN

— Gustavo Olivieri, Esq. (@OlivieriLaw) March 4, 2022

The WBO said at the conclusion of their 11 page (not exaggerating) detailed announcement,

1. The WBO World Championship Committee grants sanction approval of the Undisputed Jr. Middleweight Championship Contest between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño subject to the following conditions:

a. The fight must take place no later than Saturday, May 14, 2022.

b. If the fight does not take place regardless of the circumstances attributed to Brian Castaño, the WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship Title will be declared vacant automatically (“Ipso Facto”) per the applicable WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests stated herein and the powers of the WBO Executive Committee, and the sanction approval of the bout is terminated “Ipso Facto.”

c. If Jermell Charlo suffers an injury or is unavailable to fight for whatever reasons, the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion must fight the WBO Mandatory Challenger immediately in his next bout.

d. This Committee reserves the right to issue any further rulings deemed necessary, helpful, and convenient to accomplish the purposes, policies, and intent of the WBO rules, including, but not limited to rendering all rulings necessary to serve the best interests in the sport of professional boxing, including those in the WBO Jr. Middleweight Division.

As we wrote previously, with the rematch of their controversial draw from last July not certain to take place the intrigue of the Australian Tim Tszyu replacing Castano was present. Tszyu, 20-0, 15 KOs, and the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszu, had been in a holding pattern for two weeks on whether he would still fight in the U.S. for the first time on the Charlo-Castano undercard or not?

That was resolved though, as Tszyu will still come to the states and now headline on a  Showtime card for March 26th card in Minneapolis, as he battles U.S. journeyman fighter Terrell Gausha,

And, should he be victorious and as the WBO laid out Thursday night, he’ll either get the winner of Castano’s bout with Charlo, or if Castano doesn’t follow through and fight Charlo by May 14th, Tszyu will fight for their vacant title.

Now, we wait for what happens Castano’s injured arm.