Daily Buzz: Jermall Charlo's chance at a boxing title gets cuffed
Tully Corcoran
FOX Sports
MAR 07, 2014 7:27p ET
So it was 16 years coming for Jermall Charlo, a whole career's worth of speed bags and road work and 17 wins with 13 knockouts and no losses.
The 23-year-old had earned his title shot, and it was going to come Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he'd fight "King" Carlos Molina for the IBF light middleweight championship.
"It's been a long time coming," Charlo told the
Houston Chronicle last week. "This is the call and I've got to take the answer."
But a last-second twist, the sort which only seems to happen in boxing, has canceled the fight. Molina was arrested Tuesday in Las Vegas after police found an outstanding warrant issued in 2007 accusing him of failing to register as a sex offender in Wisconsin.
Molina posted $10,000 bond and was going to be released — meaning the fight would still be on — until authorities figured the Mexico-born Molina was also wanted by US Immigration and Customs.
So the fight was called off, as was Charlo's title shot. Charlo was, naturally, flabbergasted.
"I was, like, 'What? ... I didn't understand it at first," Charlo told the Chronicle. "How did they even let him get the belt? The body of boxing has to allow things like this not to happen."
Molina remains in jail and faces possible deportation, and Charlo is out the biggest moment of his life — a $100,00 payday that could have also put the Houston resident one step closer to a date with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"I'm just, like, God has to have a plan for me. The storm don't last always," said Charlo. "I trained my whole life for this and I've been let down. Not by me, but by [Molina]. The only thing I can do is go back to the drawing board. And my next fight will be for the IBF world title, no matter what."
"I'm more motivated now than I've ever been," Charlo said. "I just feel sorry for my next opponent."