HOUSTON -- If you're a fan of brash behavior and reality television Showtime has the fight for you. On June 29 Jermall Charlo will put his interim WBC middleweight title on the line against Brandon Adams. While Charlo is best known for his heavy hands and trash-talking ability, Adams is probably best known for making it to the finals of ESPN's 2015 Boxcino Tournament and for winning The Contender reboot in 2018. Now Charlo will look to continue his rise while Adams looks to take down the best opponent he's ever faced.
Charlo (28-0, 21 KOs) is known as the heavier handed Charlo twin and the one who competes in the middleweight division. Charlo has a nice jab that he likes to follow with a big right hand. The Texas native will throw that right hand as a straight punch from the outside or overhand when he's in closer. Either way, if that punch lands clean it can do plenty of damage. Charlo's left hook is also a good weapon but he doesn't vary his attack much. Usually Charlo comes straight ahead behind his jab and he doesn't use angles or give his opponent many different looks. While Charlo has showed fight ending power and a solid chin he is also there to be hit which could cause issues if he ever gets in the ring with the like of Gennady Golovkin, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, or Daniel Jacobs.
Charlo's twin brother Jermell recently scored a knockout which will be a contender for Knockout of the Year. Now it will be Jermall's turn to excite fans. Among the names on Charlo's resume are fighters like Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage, Austin Trout, Julian Williams, Hugo Centeno Jr., and Matt Korobov. Korobov was Charlo's most recent opponent and while Charlo got the unanimous decision many felt that it was a fight that could have easily gone in Korobov's favor. So far in his career Charlo hasn't been shy about calling out top fighters but unfortunately he hasn't got in the ring with many of them yet. Most fans are expecting Charlo to run through Adams but he needs to be careful not to overlook Adams because a loss could derail some big fights in 2020.
Not only will Adams (21-2, 13 KOs) be at a disadvantage in the power department but he's also not faced the same level of opposition as Charlo and he's notably smaller. Adams fights somewhat like a discount Shawn Porter. Make that a deep discount, clearance rack Shawn Porter. He's strong and athletic and he's at his best when he's bullying opponents in the pocket. Adams does put in some nice work to the body and his best punch is a right hand he loves to load up on. The jab of Adams isn't great and while his left hook is solid it's his right hand that does the most damage. Adams has many flaws though. He tends to follow his opponents around the ring and never cuts it off and there is a legitimate question about whether or not his chin can handle the power of Charlo.
It isn't that Adams is an awful fighter. He's a solid pro who could be a tough step-up fight for a young prospect looking to turn contender. Yet despite having no real marquee wins he finds himself getting a title shot against Charlo. The first loss of Adams career came in 2014 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Willie Monroe Jr., who might be his best opponent to date. He then put together three wins, some of which came in the ESPN Boxcino Tournament, and made the finals against John Thompson only to be stopped in the second round. Since that loss Adams has gone 4-0 with one knockout and has beaten the likes of Shane Mosley Jr., and Ievgen Khytrov. Charlo represents a big step-up for Adams though and a win wouldn't just make him a champ, it would mean he scored by far the biggest victory of his career.
If all goes according to expectations, Charlo will have no problems with Adams. Charlo has faced the better opposition, he's bigger, his hands are heavier, and his skills are sharper. Adams is going to try and get inside where he can try and rough things up in the clinch while looking to land his big overhand right. Look for Charlo to try and control the distance with his jab. If he can keep Adams on the outside he should find plenty of success landing his power shots and if Adams can't slip the jab he could get punished.
PREDICTION: Brandon Adams is a solid fighter who can give plenty of fighters a tough test but Jermall Charlo won't be one of those fighters. Charlo won't have too many issues dismantling Adams and the interim champ will win this fight by the way of eighth round knockout.
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| Charlo, digging to the body of Matt Korobov |
Charlo's twin brother Jermell recently scored a knockout which will be a contender for Knockout of the Year. Now it will be Jermall's turn to excite fans. Among the names on Charlo's resume are fighters like Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage, Austin Trout, Julian Williams, Hugo Centeno Jr., and Matt Korobov. Korobov was Charlo's most recent opponent and while Charlo got the unanimous decision many felt that it was a fight that could have easily gone in Korobov's favor. So far in his career Charlo hasn't been shy about calling out top fighters but unfortunately he hasn't got in the ring with many of them yet. Most fans are expecting Charlo to run through Adams but he needs to be careful not to overlook Adams because a loss could derail some big fights in 2020.
Not only will Adams (21-2, 13 KOs) be at a disadvantage in the power department but he's also not faced the same level of opposition as Charlo and he's notably smaller. Adams fights somewhat like a discount Shawn Porter. Make that a deep discount, clearance rack Shawn Porter. He's strong and athletic and he's at his best when he's bullying opponents in the pocket. Adams does put in some nice work to the body and his best punch is a right hand he loves to load up on. The jab of Adams isn't great and while his left hook is solid it's his right hand that does the most damage. Adams has many flaws though. He tends to follow his opponents around the ring and never cuts it off and there is a legitimate question about whether or not his chin can handle the power of Charlo.
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| Adams, winning The Contender reboot |
If all goes according to expectations, Charlo will have no problems with Adams. Charlo has faced the better opposition, he's bigger, his hands are heavier, and his skills are sharper. Adams is going to try and get inside where he can try and rough things up in the clinch while looking to land his big overhand right. Look for Charlo to try and control the distance with his jab. If he can keep Adams on the outside he should find plenty of success landing his power shots and if Adams can't slip the jab he could get punished.
PREDICTION: Brandon Adams is a solid fighter who can give plenty of fighters a tough test but Jermall Charlo won't be one of those fighters. Charlo won't have too many issues dismantling Adams and the interim champ will win this fight by the way of eighth round knockout.
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