MANUEL CHARR has managed to fly so far below the heavyweight boxing radar that he was able to make a change without anyone noticing.
At the beginning of his career, the German-based, Lebanon-born Syrian was a big success story.
Mahmoud Charr, the forgotten heavyweight, is making a comeback
He fled the civil war which claimed his father's death, and overcame a crippling hip condition, as well as a near fatal shooting, to secure a world honour, though it was a second-rate one.
Alexander Ustinov was outpointed for the World Boxing Association's trinket championship in November 2017. He has not fought since then, while Tyson Fury and Andy Ruiz Jr have won and lost titles, and made millions.
Charr, in the middle his hiatus, changed his name to Mahmoud in April 2019. He stated that "Manuel" was a German marketer's name. It was not my choice, and it wasn't what I wanted.
"I am Mahmoud. The name my parents chose for us, it means beloved by God."
This is unfortunately the closest that the 37-year old has come to making headlines in the past four years. Boxing, however, has been able bypass him during a boom time for his division.
It all started so well. Charr, a young prodigious muay Thai and Thai boxing fighter, turned pro in 2005. His 18th consecutive victory came against Danny Williams, a British journeyman.
He was seven years into his career when he jumped in too deep, and was brutalized by Vitali Klitschko, WBC champ, over four rounds in 2012.
At the end of the second round, the elder Klitschko brother hit him on the floor and then slashed him with a lefthook that opened a constant gash that squirted blood over his entire body.
When the ringside doctor waved the fight off over fears for Charr’s right eye, he went on an angry rampage, kicking and punching the Moscow ropes and offering Dr Ironfist the chance to decide the fight outside of the rules and regulations.
Little brother Wladimir even jumped into the ring to keep things cool.
After four rebuilding bouts, Charr relocated his career to Russia where he lost three out of six when he stepped up against Alexander Povetkin, Johann Duhaupas and Mairis Briedis.
Then, in September 2015, Charr’s life was almost snuffed out by a cowardly trigger-happy Facebook troll.
After repeated insults, Charr dared the critic to meet him face-to-face.
Instead, while eating a late night kebab in Essen, he had four bullets pumped into his stomach instead of a chicken shish with extra chilli sauce.
Incredibly Charr was only out of the ring a total of nine months, proving his current lack of action is not the result of a lack of courage.
But after two tune-ups he was informed the chronic pain in his pelvis was congenital hip dysplasia and he needed a double replacement, at the age of just 32.
, the incident occurred.
Charr was revived by the surgery and faced Ustinov, who was fading. After dropping him in the eighth, a unanimous decision was made.
He was due to defend his first defense against Freso Oquendo a year later, but VADA discovered steroids epitrenbolone etanolone and drostanolone within his system. VADA then placed a six-month ban on him.
Charr tried to fight Andy Ruiz Jr in the summer 2020 but was repeatedly stopped by the little Mexican who defeated Joshua for the final six months of 2019.
After four years of being out of the ring, he is back to face Christopher Lovejoy, an unbeaten American, in Cologne.
Charr doesn't look like a man who has given up on the sport. He proudly wore his black and golden belt and visited schools in Germany to share his inspiring story.
However, any momentum that the 32-4 fighter had in the ring is now gone.
Naturally, the win over Christopher Lovejoy in May reclaimed the attention of fight fans all around the globe.
The Arabic community is taking an increasing interest in boxing and would love to have a heavyweight champion.
Saudi Arabia is now hosting Al-Turaif (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Riyadh. How the locals would love for Charr to win.
