Fighting Doc Breaks Down The Complexities Of The Body Jab in Charlo vs Rosario

The body jab is a versatile attack used primarily to catch opponents off guard and help set up additional shots. But last Saturday night against Jeison Rosario,@twincharlo showed that it can inflict serious damage as well.

Looking at the clip, you will see that Jermell Charlo's second jab lands on the lower epigastric region of Rosario's abdomen. This is where a complex bundle of nerves called the celiac plexus (more commonly known as the solar plexus) resides. Among other functions, these nerves transmit pain sensation from all over the gastrointestinal system, making the plexus a very sensitive part of the body. In fact, blocking the celiac plexus using anesthetic medications is a common procedure performed by pain management physicians for certain conditions including gastrointestinal cancers.

You will also notice Rosario struggling to catch his breath after the knockdown. The celiac plexus is located just underneath the diaphragm, the main muscle used for respiration. It's possible that Charlo's jab could have directly struck it. But there are also complex connections between the celiac plexus and branches of the phrenic nerve, which innervates the diaphragm. So striking the area could have caused the diaphragm to spasm by way of temporary nerve irritation as well. This would have certainly given Rosario the unpleasant sensation of having the wind knocked out of him.

Solar plexus knockouts are not a new occurrence in combat sports. But seeing one caused by a jab was certainly unique. Perhaps Rosario was already on the brink due to an accumulation of prior damage. Nevertheless, this goes down as another impressive highlight in the career of the younger Charlo twin.

By: David Liang, MD
Resident Physician and Combat Sports Practitioner



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