Matt Korobov steps in for Willie Monroe against Jermall Charlo

Jermall Charlo (27-0, 21 KOs) will be defending his interim title against this weekend against a late replacement in Matt Korobov (28-1, 14 KOs), per an ESPN report. Charlo, who was set to fight Willie Monroe in a PBC main event in Brooklyn, saw Monroe pulled from the card after testing positive for a banned substance in a VADA drug test leading into the bout.

Interestingly enough, Jermall Charlo just recently missed a drug test as part of the WBC’s clean boxing program, but that infraction would only end up resulting in a fine by the sanctioning body.

Anyway, with Monroe’s failed test the New York State Athletic Commission pulled the plug on Monroe, and PBC promoted Korborov who was scheduled to fight in an 8-rounder against Juan De Angel on the undercard. The WBC also issued this statement, in part, regarding Monroe’s positive drug test:

“At this point, the facts known to the WBC indicate that a sample collected from Mr. Monroe yielded an adverse finding for a banned steroidal substance. It also appears that Mr. Monroe disclosed to the sample collector his use of a non-specific ‘testosterone booster’ in his doping control form. Mr. Monroe did not request, nor did he receive, a therapeutic use exception for any substance.”

Korobov, 35, comes into this fight off four straight decision wins (over lesser opposition) since getting knocked out by Andy Lee in late 2014, and I think it’s fair not to expect Saturday’s new main event to end up being very competitive.