Jamel Herring’s next fight is scheduled for January 21.
Unfortunately for the former WBO junior lightweight champion, that figurative fight will take place in an Ohio courtroom. Herring was arrested late Thursday night and charged with multiple offenses related to a domestic incident January 4 in Mason, Ohio, a northern suburb of Cincinnati.
According to TMZ, Herring, 39, was booked on misdemeanor charges of assault and domestic violence. It was not clear at the time this story was posted if Herring had been released because The Ring could not verify Herring’s whereabouts with the Mason Police Department. His bail totaled more than $100,000.
ESPN.com’s Mike Coppinger first reported the news of Herring’s arrest.
TMZ reported that Jennifer Herring, Jamel’s wife, told investigators during an interview January 8 that her husband came home “extremely intoxicated” around 2 a.m. ET in the early-morning hours of January 4. Jennifer detailed that they began arguing over relationships issues, until Jamel allegedly punched her body, pulled her hair, choked and threw her to the floor.
Herring’s wife stated that she attempted to fight back, but that he got stronger. At one point, Jennifer Herring said she feared she would die.
Jennifer provided photographic evidence to police from the alleged incident, showing scratch marks on her neck. Jamel reportedly informed police those marks remained from a previous domestic incident for which he was also arrested in December 2023.
Herring, a 2012 U.S. Olympian from Coram, New York, is a Marine who served two tours in Iraq from 2005 to 2007. He has discussed PTSD-related issues in recent years, when he has also worked at times as an analyst for ESPN+ streams of cards presented by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., Herring’s former promoter.
Inside the ring, Herring (24-5, 12 KOs) overcame two early career losses to win the WBO 130-pound championship from Masayuki Ito by unanimous decision in May 2019 in Kissimmee, Florida.
The southpaw most recently lost a 10-round split decision to Jackson Jon England on April 3 at 36ers Arena in Adelaide, Australia. Herring has lost three of his past four, including a 10th-round technical knockout to three-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson in October 2021 at Atlanta's State Farm Arena and a 10-round unanimous decision to Jamaine Ortiz in May 2022 at Las Vegas' Resorts World.
Keith Idec is a staff writer for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.