Home Boxing News Jermell Charlo ordered to face the winner of Tim Tszyu vs Carlos...

Jermell Charlo ordered to face the winner of Tim Tszyu vs Carlos Ocampo by September 30

Jermell Charlo. Photo credit: Amanda Westcott/Showtime

WBO interim junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 22-0 (16) has been given a clear path to full world championship honours.

The WBO has ordered Jermall Charlo to face the winner of Tszyu’s next bout against Carlos Ocampo 34-2 (22) no later than September 30.

Australian Tszyu, 28, was scheduled to face undisputed 154-pound champion Charlo in late January, but the bout was cancelled after the American suffered a broken hand in sparring in December.

Instead, Tszyu moved ahead with a fight against the only man to defeat Charlo, Tony Harrison 29-4-1 (21), stopping him in nine rounds in March.

Tszyu could be forgiven for waiting on the sidelines for Charlo to be ready to fight, but true to his word he wants to stay active and fight ready when the Charlo bout finally comes to fruition.

He will face Mexico’s Ocampo, 27, at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland on June 18.

If Charlo is unable or unwilling to face Tszyu by the end of September, he will be stripped of his title and the Australian will be elevated to champion.

Tszyu’s promoter George Rose of No Limit Boxing knows the risk his boxer faces in Ocampo and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

“It’s massive. It’s the news we’ve been waiting on but again highlights just how big a risk Tim’s fight next month on the Gold Coast is,” Rose said upon hearing the ruling from the WBO.

“If Tim’s loses, it’s over. No Charlo, no undisputed, no nothing.

“After all the waiting and uncertainty, it’s crazy to think it’s Jermell Charlo who has the advantage… He’s prepping now and doesn’t have a world-class, tough Mexican in Carlos Ocampo trying to take everything away from him.

“Sunday June 18 has just become a whole lot bigger. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

“His shot at undisputed depends on it.”

Ocampo, who is coming off a wide unanimous decision loss to Sebastian Fundora 20-1-1 (13) in October, was not listed in the top 15 of the WBO rankings before his fight against Tszyu was announced last week.

The WBO issued the following statement regarding the status of the junior middleweight division.

“Sanction approval is granted subject to the following provisions:

–        (i) the winner must face in his next bout the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion no later than September 30, 2023;

–        (ii) the winner must be available, ready, willing, and able to face in his next bout the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion within the above referenced period;

–        (iii) if the winner is not available to fight in his next bout the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion regardless the reasons or circumstances, the WBO World Championship Committee shall proceed pursuant to the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests; and

–        (iv) the Committee reserves the right to issue all 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.”

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