Jermall Charlo vs Jose Benavidez Jr. Preview November 25th, 2023
After 29 months out of the ring due to personal issues, unbeaten WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo of Richmond, Texas will be meeting Jose Benavidez Jr of Panorama City, California this Saturday, November 25th. The 10-round non-title fight from Las Vegas, Nevada is reportedly being fought at a catch weight of 163 lbs. It can be seen live on Showtime pay per view as well as FITE TV on the undercard of the Benavidez vs Andrade battle. Charlo hasn’t fought since June, 2021 when he beat Juan Macias Montiel by unanimous decision to retain his title. Benavidez last fought in August when he stopped Sladan Janjanin in the fifth round.
Charlo vs Benavidez Jr. Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Jose Benavidez Jr. +450
- Jermall Charlo -700
My Pick
Charlo is also a former IBF Jr. Middleweight Champion who defended the belt three times after winning it by stopping Cornelius Bundrage in the third round in September, 2015. The 33-year-old enters the contest with a perfect record of 32-0 with 22 Ko’s and stands 6-feet-1-inches tall with a 73.5-inch reach. He’s got enough power in his fists to do some damage with a current knockout ratio of 68.8 per cent and has stopped 20 of his last 26 opponents but has gone the distance in his past two fights. He won the interim WBC Middleweight Title in April, 2018 when he stopped Hugo Centeno Jr in the second round.
Charlo has 171 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2008 and this will be his eighth contest since moving up in weight from the junior middleweight ranks. His biggest wins have come against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Julian Williams, Matt Korobov, Austin Trout and Bundrage, who was 42 years old when Charlo beat him for the title. Charlo doesn’t always take on elite level boxers but has overpowered most of his opponents so far.
The champion has displayed fine speed and boxing skills but his chin has yet to be really tested. He’s a strong, offensive-minded boxer who would rather his fights didn’t reach the scorecards. His only other notable win so far has been against Antwone Smith. And although he’s beaten a world champion in Bundrage and former world champion in Trout, Charlo hasn’t exactly proven to the fans to be a world-class boxer but his win over Derevyanchenko definitely pointed him in the right direction.
The 31-year-old Benavidez now fights out of Phoenix, Arizona and owns a mark of 28-2-1 with 19 Ko’s. He’s the brother of former WBC Super Middleweight Champ David Benavidez but not quite as lethal and is a former WBA Interim and NABF Jr. Welterweight Champion. He’s boxed 162 rounds since making his pro debut back in 2010 and stands just over 5-feet-10-inches tall with a 71-inch reach, so gives up 2.5-inches in height and reach to Charlo.
His first defeat came at the hands of Terence Crawford by way of a 12th-round stoppage in a shot at the WBO Welterweight Title in 2018 with his second loss coming to former world champion Danny Garcia by 12-round majority decision in July, 2022. Benavidez enjoyed a fine amateur career as he reportedly went 120-5, won 11 national titles and at the age of 16 won a 2009 National Golden Gloves title to become the youngest boxer ever to win a national championship.
He didn’t waste any time turning pro as he did so the next year when he turned 17.Benavidez was the youngest pro boxer ever licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as the commission recognized his exceptional boxing skills and exempted him from the minimum age requirement of 18. He broke his hand in 2013 and sat out most of the year before returning in 2014. Benavidez then won the interim WBA Junior Middleweight Crown in Las Vegas in December, 2014 when he beat former champion Mauricio Herrera by a close and controversial unanimous decision.
As far as power goes, Benavidez is above average as 67.9 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage including his last three victories. However he has just one win in his last four fights with two defeats and a 10-round draw with Francisco Torres in 2021. Benavidez also has wins against Jorge Paez Jr., Francisco Santana, Matthew Strode and Frank Rojas and won the vacant NABF Junior Welterweight Crown in 2014.
Prediction…
Benavidez has the power to do some damage to Charlo but doesn’t have the same level of boxing skills even though he was an excellent amateur. Benavidez’s only two defeats came at the hands of Terence Crawford and Danny Garcia but he hasn’t really beaten any upper echelon boxers. He’s fighting at 163 lbs here with his heaviest fighting weight so far being 158¾ lbs. He’s also boxed above the 154 lb junior middleweight weight just twice as a pro. Charlo hasn’t fought for well over two years and is reportedly working out with Roy Jones Jr. It’s hard to tell just how Charlo’s going to perform and there could be plenty of ring rust and this is just a 10-round tilt. There’s a chance for an upset here especially if Benavidez jumps on Charlo early. The circumstances make this fight a bit of a tossup so don’t be surprised by any outcome. But based on their past performances in the pro ranks, I’d give Charlo the slight edge.
Charlo’s better boxing skills should be the difference but Benavidez has a puncher’s chance.
Play Charlo -700 @ BetOnline.ag
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Jermall Charlo betting • Jose Benavidez Jr. bettiing