Tony Harrison injured, Jermell Charlo to face replacement foe Jorge Cota on June 23
Various sources have confirmed that newly-minted WBC junior middleweight titleholder Tony Harrison has suffered an ankle injury in training and will undergo surgery Wednesday, putting paid to his June 23 rematch with Jermell Charlo.
Harrison, who is rated No. 6 by The Ring at 154 pounds, won the title by posting a close unanimous decision over Charlo at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn last December. The Charlo camp protested bitterly and a rematch was set for the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
That show will still go ahead and Charlo is expected to face Mexican puncher Jorge Cota (28-3, 25 knockouts) as part of a PBC on Fox doubleheader. The same card will feature Guillermo Rigondeaux’s return against former junior featherweight titleholder Julio Ceja.
Providing Charlo disposes of Cota, he would then move on to face Harrison before year’s end.
Tom Gray is Associate Editor for The Ring. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing
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