Charlo Kept the Interim WBC Belt With a Win Over Korobov
Jermall Charlo defeated Matt Korobov by unanimous decision on December 22, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Charlo retained the interim WBC middleweight title after twelve rounds, with all three judges scoring for him.
A late replacement challenged for the belt
Korobov stepped into the fight on short notice after Willie Monroe Jr. withdrew. Charlo entered as the interim champion and a rising middleweight contender, with the bout headlining a PBC on FOX card.
Charlo controlled much of the contest with his jab and power punching. Korobov had stretches of success and made the fight competitive, but he could not produce enough sustained offense to turn the scorecards.
The contest went the full twelve rounds. The judges scored it 119–108, 116–112 and 116–112 for Charlo.
The interim title stayed with Charlo
The unanimous decision preserved Charlo’s interim championship. It was a major win over a skilled southpaw opponent, though the title was the WBC interim middleweight belt rather than the organization’s full championship.
The fight took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and was one of two title bouts on the event, alongside Jermell Charlo’s junior middleweight defense against Tony Harrison.
PBC’s event report and the bout record confirm the date, location and winner. The result was a points victory, not a knockout.
