After Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez signed a $100 million deal with Premier Boxing Champions, there were rumors he would fight middleweight champion Jermall Charlo.
The undisputed super middleweight champion will instead fight his brother Jermell, the undisputed super welterweight champion, on September 30. It on Showtime PPV in the U.S.
Jermell has not fought since May 2022, as he suffered a hand injury in preparation for a fight against mandatory challenger Tim Tszyu. Now, he faces one of the best boxers in the world in Canelo.
Jumping two weight classes, Charlo has everything to gain in this fight. A win could put him high on several pound-for-pound lists, an honor that has avoided him for years.
If he wins, he will be undisputed in two weight classes, joining Claressa Shields and Terence Crawford. A negative of becoming undisputed in a second division is the loss of his undisputed status at super welterweight. He will get stripped by the WBO once the first bell rings, with the winner of Tszyu and Brian Mendoza becoming champion.
To prove he belongs in this fight, does Charlo have to knock Canelo out inside the T-Mobile Arena, known as the home court for Canelo? Canelo’s history in Las Vegas has shown some favoritism to the Mexican warrior (see: Floyd Mayweather, Gennaidy Golovkin, Erislandy Lara and Dmitry Bivol).
“Iron Man” must outwork Canelo, as a decision win is unlikely. Given his recent outings, Canelo will need to put on a convincing performance to prove he's still a fearsome figure in the sport.
On this episode of Fightin’ Words, The Sporting News' Andreas Hale and Karisa Maxwell break down the clash of titans, including the following topics:
- Wondering what’s next for Charlo, win or lose
- Debating if it’s the end of the Canelo era of dominance if he loses
- Looking into the potential face of boxing with a Canelo loss
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