Due to a failed drug test by Willie Monroe Jr., Jermall Charlo to now face Matt Korobov in Brooklyn

With less than a week until he main events a boxing card inside the Barclays Center, Jermall Charlo will have to focus on a new opponent. Matt Korobov will now step up and face Charlo for the WBC Interim Middleweight Championship.

The news comes after Willie Monroe Jr. was taken off the card after testing positive for a banned substance. Korobov moves from the undercard to the main event, something that any fighter would gladly take. Under unfortunate circumstances, a boxing main event has some interest based off of the unpredictability of the matchup.

Charlo (27-0) does not appear worried after a replacement has been made. Like Monroe Jr., Korobov (28-1) is a southpaw, something Charlo believes he can work with.

“I was well prepared for Willie Monroe, who is a southpaw, so there won’t be that much difference facing Korobov,” Charlo stated in a press release. “There is a size difference. He’s taller than Monroe, but I’ll just have to adjust my game plan. The best fighters in the world are the ones who are able to make the best adjustments. Beating Korobov is going to make the victory that much sweeter due to this adversity. That means the celebration is going to be sweeter as well. He was fighting on the undercard, so he’s prepared. But now fighting for the title in the top spot is going to make him fight harder. I love it. He’s a much better opponent on paper than Willie Monroe Jr.”

The 35-year-old Korobov is on a four-fight win streak, winning those fights via unanimous decision. This will be his first time fighting inside the Barclays Center.

While Charlo will still be training for a somewhat similar opponent, replacement fights can be unpredictable. With 14 of his 28 wins via KO, Korobov will not be an easy fight for Charlo, who has won his last three via KO.

Jermall will be fighting on the same card as his brother Jermell, who will be facing Tony Harrison in the co-main event of the evening. Charlo v. Korobov takes place Saturday, December 22nd inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are still available at the Barclays Center box office and at Ticketmaster.com.