Following a prolonged period of inactivity and outside-the-ring turbulence, Jermall Charlo managed to put his career back on course when he stopped Thomas LaManna in the sixth round last May. A year later, he is now set to be featured on the main card of his friend and former champion Errol Spence Jr.’s return fight against Tim Tszyu.

Yet for all the positive developments, it appears Jermall Charlo‘s troubled past continues to catch up. With just a month remaining for his fight against Koen Mazoudier, scheduled for July 25, reports have emerged that the former two-division champion has allegedly been booked in connection with a toll violation dating back several years.

“Jermall Charlo allegedly was booked today in Harris County for a warrant on alleged toll road violations from 2016,” read the tweet from boxing content provider BOXING n BBQ.

“These details can be found by looking up public records that provided the case number during the booking, which matches the case number from 2016,” it further added.

The available records, however, provide limited details regarding the circumstances behind the allegation. However, as the post suggested, court records show that the former champion was charged with the offense of “Operate Motor Vehicle On Toll Road When Prohibited” for an incident dated June 10, 2017.

Context matters here. A search across Harris County JP courts appears to reveal three cases, all pertaining to 2017, listed under Jermall Charlo’s name. The case status for all three, including the one pertaining to the toll violation, shows as “disposed,” meaning the court resolved and closed the matter. It does not indicate whether the person involved, in this case Jermall Charlo, admitted wrongdoing, was penalized, had the case dismissed, or obtained another outcome.

Another post pushed back against claims linking Charlo to an alcohol-related driving offense and argued that the information being circulated online could be inaccurate. The matter does not involve a recent detention or impaired-driving allegation.

Instead, the issue appears to be tied to a collection of older traffic-related matters that are now drawing renewed attention. To support that argument, the post included screenshots from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that show a booking dated June 21 against Charlo for “OPR_MOTOR VEH ON TOLL RD WHEN PROHI.”

Notably, the fact that the original booking is recorded at Justice of the Peace (JP) courts also provides additional context. The JP courts are basically lower-level local courts that typically overseas traffic-related violations and other minor legal violations.

Viewed through that lens, the issue does not appear likely to create any obstacle to Charlo’s upcoming appearance on the PBC-Amazon card.

Jermall Charlo: A chance to rewrite the narrative

Three years ago, the former world champion, whose career has gained notoriety more for his frequent absences and outside-the-ring issues than for his unbeaten record and title reign, returned to boxing after two years away and faced David Benavidez’s brother, Jose Benavidez Jr.

But the unanimous win only triggered another long break that lasted till May 31, when he faced LaManna on the Caleb Plant-Jose Resendiz card at the Michelin Ultra Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

During that absence, Charlo saw his WBC title being stripped after he was reportedly arrested on May 6 of 2024, and charged with three misdemeanors, including one related to driving while intoxicated (DWI). Those setbacks further complicated what had already become an uneven stretch in his career.

After navigating those difficult times, Charlo finally regained momentum with a sixth-round knockout of LaManna after moving up a weight class. The win boosted his standing, earning him the 4th and 6th positions in the WBA and WBC super middleweight rankings, respectively.

After a period that saw Charlo calling out several notable names, including Terence Crawford, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, light middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora, and even Tim Tszyu, reports finally emerged that he may secure a spot on the card of Errol Spence Jr., who is set to make a comeback of his own after the disastrous campaign against Crawford three years ago.

The Louisiana native turned 36 last month. At this stage of his career, he knows that opportunities at the highest level are becoming limited and could further become even scarcer as the years pass. So he has to maximize the opportunities currently available to him. A win over unranked Koen Mazoudier could be a major step in that direction.

With the 168-pound division currently facing a significant reshuffle, Charlo still stands a chance, provided he stays consistent and on track. If things fall into place, he could land his long-stated dream matchup against Canelo Alvarez and avenge twin brother Jermell Charlo’s loss three years ago.