By Rick Reeno

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas, Nevada - IBF junior middleweight championship Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18KOs) was tested tough, but pulled out a twelve round unanimous decision over former WBA beltholder Austin Trout (30-3, 17KOs). The scores were 115-113, 116-112, 116-112.

The two fighters were feeling each other out in the first. Charlo controlled the majority of the second round and landed the crisper shots with Trout still trying to find a rhythm. Charlo continued to controlled things in the third, pressing the action and landing hard shots.

Trout began to find his range in the fourth, but he still found himself being outworked and outgunned by Charlo. A fight broke out in the fifth, with the two of them trading punches at close range. Both had their moments during those exchanges.

During the sixth round, Charlo landed a few telling punches during the eight and they got the attention of Trout. There was an early explosion in the seventh when Trout lets his hands go to push Charlo back. Charlo was looking to land something big, but it was Trout who stayed at the distance and was landing good shots. Charlo rallied in the final twenty seconds with some big shots that connected well.

Charlo had the advantage in the eight by landing the better variety of punches. Trout was on his toes in the ninth, moving and boxing as Charlo gave chase but landed very little. A series of punches in the tenth opened up a cut above the right eye of Trout, who continued to keep at a distance and cautiously boxed while picking his punches very carefully. Charlo was not affected by anything that landed and continue to come forward.

Charlo was applying pressure in the eleventh, but Trout continued to box on his toes, used good defensive movements and was making things tough for Charlo, who landed a very good combo in the final five seconds of the round. Trout continued to stick to his boxing in the twelfth. Charlo was coming forward and still trying to land something big, but that allowed Trout to land some good counters.