TWINS JERMELL AND JERMALL CHARLO TURN IN IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES IN HISTORIC SHOWTIME PPV DOUBLEHEADER VICTORIES

TWINS JERMELL AND JERMALL CHARLO TURN IN IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES IN​ ​HISTORIC

SHOWTIME PPV® DOUBLEHEADER
VICTORIES

Nery Becomes Two-Division Champ Claiming Vacant WBC Super Bantamweight Title; Roman Defeats Payano In WBC Super Bantamweight

Title Eliminator; Figueroa Defends WBA Super Bantamweight Title with TKO; Casimero Defends WBO Bantamweight World Title With TKO

UNCASVILLE, Conn.
September 27, 2020 – Houston’s Charlo Twins made successful pay-per-view debuts on Saturday in a historic night of boxing as Jermell Charlo unified the WBC, WBA, and IBF 154-pound titles with a spectacular eighth-round knockout against Jeison Rosario in the second main event of a doubleheader on SHOWTIME PPV at the Mohegan Sun.

Jermell’s 30-year-old twin brother Jermall Charlo defended his WBC Middleweight world title for the third time and improved to 6-0 at 160 pounds with a skilled and disciplined unanimous decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in the first main event of an unprecedented night of boxing that included five world title bouts presented by Premier Boxing Champions. Jermell (34-1, 18 KOs) stole the show in the main event as he knocked out Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs) instunning fashion just 21 seconds into the eighth round with a straight left jab to the body. Rosario struggled to get to his knees and appeared to have the wind knocked out of him as he was counted out by referee Harvey Dock.

Jermell became boxing’s ninth unified champion with his trainer Derrick James becoming the only current trainer with two unified titlists, including Jermell and Errol Spence Jr.

After seven completed round, Jermell held a narrow lead on all three judges’ scorecards: 66-65 and 67-64 twice. Jermell recorded two knockdowns before his knockout. In the closing seconds of the sixth round, Rosario from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, went down for the second time as Charlo connected on a short left hook that stunned Rosario, who was saved by the bell. Rosario was also sent to the canvas early as Jermell scored a knockdown on a left hook to the top of Rosario’s head in the first minute of the fight. Rosario was taken to the hospital for observation following the fight.

“I knew that he was going to keep coming after the first knockdown,” Jermell said. “He kept pressing for four or five rounds until I floored him again. I’m growing and learning that the knockout just comes. I know that I have explosive power in both hands. I utilized my jab more than any other punch in this fight and that’s what got me these straps.”

"We stood toe-to-toe and we didn't back down from anything,” said Charlo, who had renowned trainer Ronnie Shields in his corner. “It was supposed to be one of the hardest fights of my career and we passed the test. He had a puncher's chance, and of course the fight could have changed at any moment. I listened to my corner and executed the game plan and got the win.”

The 34-year-old Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs) fought more than half the fight with a swollen right eye he suffered in the fifth round, and later developed another cut above his left eye affecting his vision in the later rounds. He had his best rounds in the sixth and seventh as he connected on a several key left hooks that seemed to daze Charlo. The game and determined Derevyanchenko landed 180 and threw 681 more punches than any previous Charlo opponent.

"I wouldn't say it was an easy fight, but we stuck to what we wanted to do and made it happen,” Jermall said. “I let my jab dictate and we got the victory. I wanted to knock him out, but you can't knock everyone out. I'm a finisher, but you don't want to run into anything even though you have him hurt. I landed the shots that I needed to in order to win.