Heavyweight contender Jared Anderson is in hot water after being charged with a third-degree felony after being arrested and charged with fleeing police last Thursday in Huron County, Michigan.
ESPN reports that the 24-year-old Top Rank-promoted Jared Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) was released today [Saturday]. Last Thursday, ESPN reports that Anderson was chased by the police for six miles in his Dodge Challenger, reaching speeds of 130 mph before eventually crashing his vehicle in a median and arrested.
Potential Consequences
If Jared Anderson is convicted of the charge, he could receive “up to five years in prison,” which would be the worst-case scenario. This latest arrest of Anderson, the second since November, casts a shadow over his promising career and raises concerns about his judgment and decision-making abilities.
Doing prison time would put a crimp on Anderson’s boxing career and ruin Top Rank’s plans to turn him into a star. You’d hate to see Anderson’s career go up in smoke like Ike Ibeabutchi’s promising career.
The promotional company are grooming Anderson to becoming a world champion, and to eventually replace the aging 35-year-old Tyson Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight title, and is nearing the end of his career.
It’s unclear how this event will impact Anderson’s April 13th 12-round headliner fight on ESPN against Ryad Merhy at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
“Anderson was previously arrested in November in Ohio and charged with improperly handling firearms in a vehicle while knowingly under the influence and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Michael Coppinger of ESPN.
A Rising Star Derailed?
Top Rank is trying to turn Anderson into a start, but the two arrests make some wonder whether he will pan out in the pro ranks. More time will need to go by to find out whether Anderson’s latest arrest will impact his career.
It makes you question whether he will become the superstar fighter some had thought he would when he first turned pro in 2019.
Apart from the two arrests, Jared’s performance against former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin last July raised eyebrows when he was twice staggered in the fight and was on the verge of being stopped in the final seconds of the tenth round.
Top Rank pulled Anderson back after that performance, matching him against 40-year-old Andriy Rudenko in his last fight.
