World Weekend Roundup: Charlo Twins, Lara, Shumenov, Lebedev, Win

There were a handful of world title bouts that took place over the weekend with the biggest fight card happening at The Cosmopolitan in America’s boxing capital, Las Vegas on Saturday evening.

There were three light middleweight world titles along with one at cruiserweight, on the line in that venue’s Chelsea Ballroom, with the Charlo twins, Jermell and Jermall, Erislandy Lara and Beibut Shumenov all emerging victorious.

Making the second defense of his IBF crown, Jermall Charlo, 24-0 (18), had the toughest assignment of the night in facing the challenge posed by ex-WBA titlist Austin Trout, 30-3 (17).

Southpaw Trout used good movement, angles and an edge in experience to give the taller Charlo a good bit of difficulty throughout the fight, zipping in many sharp counters but the younger champion was busier and more aggressive, landing the weightier punches.

Charlo was more effective in the early going while Trout gained momentum in the later rounds but the challenger could never hurt or even back off the Houston based champion.

The judges at ringside favored Charlo’s efforts, awarding him all the cards on margins of 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113.

It was a good win for Charlo, facing the best opponent of his career to date and even in defeat, Trout gave his career a boost by turning in a gutty performance.

Contending for the vacant WBC strap were Jermell Charlo, 28-0 (13), and John Jackson, 20-3 (15), son of former two-weight world champion Julian Jackson.

Jackson was on the move for the entire duration of the bout, never presenting Charlo a stationary target while surprising his adversary with crisp, effective boxing.

But Charlo showed a granite chin and was relentless in pursuit of his quarry and got ever closer to Jackson as the rounds progressed, landing his own punches with ever increasing frequency.

The curtain came down for Jackson at 0:51 of the eighth round when a hard right from Charlo wobbled and disoriented the Virgin Islands based boxer, who was rescued by referee Tony Weeks.

Jermell Charlo joins his brother Jermall as a world champion and at just 26 years of age, the pair will likely be very difficult to unseat for some years to come.

Someone who no doubt will try to challenge that assertion was also on the bill in Las Vegas, reigning WBA “regular” champion, Erislandy Lara, 23-2-2 (13), who faced off against opponent Vanes Martirosyan, 36-3-1 (21), for the second time in four years.

Lara boxed with characteristic acumen, using time and physical distance to keep his rival at bay, raking the challenger with bursts of offense while largely avoiding the inevitable retaliatory attempts.

The champion retained his belt via a 116-111, 116-111, 115-112 unanimous decision.

Next up for Lara could be a defense against the WBA “interim” titlist Jack Culcay, who woud be taking a massive step up in competition should he get that world title opportunity.

Ex-WBA light heavy champ Beibut Shumenov, 17-2 (11), won a vacant clash for the WBA cruiserweight strap but had to come off the canvas in order to end the hopes of opponent Junior Anthony Wright, 15-2-1 (12).

Wright was giving away massive advantage in experience to the seasoned Shumenov but managed to put the Kazakh on the floor in the fifth round.

Shumenov survived a tough time in the sixth to down Wright in the eighth before finishing the American off in the tenth frame.

After struggling for recognition over the course of two years as a cruiserweight, Shumenov definitely hit the jackpot with his win over right as the victory enables him to participate in a unification clash with WBA king Denis Lebedev, 29-2 (22), who now also holds the IBF title.

Lebedev earned that addition to his trophy cabinet by crushing IBF beltholder Victor Emilio Ramirez, 22-3-1 (17), at 1:57 of the second round on Saturday at Khodynka Ice Palace in Russia’s capitol of Moscow.

Ramirez, who kept his title by way of a draw in October against British spoiler Ovill McKenzie, was no match for local southpaw Lebedev, who battered the Argentine brawler in a one-sided affair.