The rematch between Jermell Charlo and Tony Harrison exceeded any reasonable fight fan’s wildest expectations with the bad blood pouring over into a fun action fight. Charlo, looking to avenge a decision that ranged from highly controversial to outright robbery depending on your view of things, battled through an all-action fight to score a TKO in Round 11 at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
Harrison, who was largely viewed as the fighter who would be taking a “tactical” approach to the rematch of that December 2018 outing, was actually the front-foot pressure fighter for much of the fight, often pinning Charlo into the ropes and letting go with stinging combinations. Charlo’s power was ultimately the difference maker, however, striking first for a knockdown in Round 2.
FOX Sports: PBC ✔ @PBConFOX CHARLO STRIKES FIRST!
It’s an early knockdown for @TwinCharlo after both fighters trade shots in Round 2. #HarrisonCharlo2
Embedded video 362 11:03 AM – Dec 22, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 200 people are talking about this Harrison picked himself up off the canvas and began to slowly work to seemingly take back control of the fight through his jab and strong work on the inside. Every round was tight and for eight of the first 10, the fighters were within two landed punches of each other in the CompuBox statistics.
While things were close round-to-round, the judges’ scorecards were not needed when Charlo’s power flashed again in Round 11. A big shot dropped Harrison for the second time in the fight. Harrison worked back to his feet only to go down a second time moments later. While Charlo celebrated on the ropes, Harrison gutted his way back to his feet to answer the count again, but things were academic at that point. Charlo poured the punches on and got the stoppage at the official time of 2:28 of Round 11.
FOX Sports: PBC ✔ @PBConFOX LIONS ONLY! 🦁@TwinCharlo knocks down Harrison not once, but twice in Round 11 to win back his belt! #HarrisonCharlo2
Embedded video 851 11:45 AM – Dec 22, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 536 people are talking about this “I got that belt back,” Charlo said after his victory. “It took me a little while. I got it out in 11, but I didn’t leave it up to no judges.”
A devastated Harrison summed up his thoughts succinctly after losing the WBC super welterweight championship.
“He earned it,” Harrison said. “I hate it. He earned it.”
