Charlo Knocked Out Hatley in His First Title Defense
Jermell Charlo knocked out Charles Hatley at 0:32 of round six on April 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Charlo retained his WBC super welterweight title in his first defense, finishing Hatley with a right hand after dropping him in round three.
The champion built momentum
Charlo used his speed and power to control the action against Hatley. The challenger was competitive early, but a third-round knockdown gave Charlo a clear advantage and set up the later finish.
In the sixth, Charlo landed a right hand as Hatley moved forward. Hatley fell face-first near the ropes, and referee Harvey Dock waved the bout off at 32 seconds of the round.
The result was a knockout. Charlo retained his world title without needing the judges’ scorecards.
A strong first defense
The Brooklyn fight was Charlo’s first defense of the 154-pound championship. He had won the vacant title the previous year and used the Hatley bout to establish himself in the division.
Charlo’s twin brother, Jermall, had recently moved up in weight, leaving Jermell to pursue his own path at super welterweight. After the fight, Charlo looked toward potential unification opportunities.
Premier Boxing Champions confirms the date, venue, title defense and finish time. The official bout record describes the result as a sixth-round KO.
