WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo is hard at work promoting his June 19th title defense against Juan Macias Montiel by name-dropping Canelo Alvarez’s name nonstop in what appears to be an effort to drum up interest in his fight on Showtime.
Charlo, 31, says he’d like to fight Canelo if he’s willing to either fight come all the way down to 160 or meet him at a catch-weight in the super middleweight division.
As huge as the 6’0″ Charlo is after he rehydrates for his fights at middleweight, it’s unknown why he would even need a catchweight for a fight against the much smaller 5’8″ Canelo. If anything, Charlo should be fighting at the full 168-lb division now rather than melting down to fight against smaller opposition at 160.
Jermall wants Canelo to fight him for his WBC belt
“I’m down. I’ll fight Canelo,” Jermall said to DAZN News about his wish to face the Mexican superstar Alvarez next.
“Right now, that’s what everybody keeps talking about — ‘Canelo, Canelo, Canelo,’” Charlo said. “Well, s***, where he at? I’m here. I got the WBC [160-lb belt]. What are we going to do?
As you can see, Charlo believes that his WBC middleweight title is something that will draw Canelo to him like a fly to food left out. Whoever planted that idea into Charlo’s head that Canelo wants to win his WBC 160-lb, they’re in the dark.
Alvarez has already said he won’t be moving back down to middleweight because he’s comfortable at 168. If anything, Canelo might move up to 175 temporarily to go after Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship.
Canelo has been there and done that, and he’s not going to tea his career into reverse to meltdown to 160 to face a reluctant champion like Charlo. He has shown no inclination to take risks with his career by accepting the challenge of David Benavidez or Demetrius Andrade. Those are guys that Charlo can face right away if he were only willing to fight them.
Charlo says he can unify with Alvarez
“We could unify,” said Jermall, seemingly not realizing that Canelo only holds the non-transferable WBC Franchise belt at 160. “We could go to a catchweight, fight 10 rounds.
“I’m down to do whatever they want to do. I’m a boxer. I’m a man at the end of the day. So, Canelo can get that work, too.”
It’s doubtful that Canelo will agree to fight Charlo at a catchweight at super middleweight, and it’s laughable to think he’ll come down to 160 to face him.
If Charlo is serious about fighting Canelo, he’ll build up his name by fighting guys like Demetrius Andrade, Carlos Gongora, David Benavidez, David Morrell, Daniel Jacobs, and Chris Eubank Jr.
Right now, you can argue that Jermall is no better off than Demetrius Andrade in terms of being of his fan base.
Canelo already made it clear that Andrade isn’t a big enough name for him to bother fighting him, despite being a world champion at 160 and having captured world titles in two weight classes.
Jermall is in the same boat as Andrade. He’s won world titles in two weight classes, but he’s failed to make a name for himself due to all the low-risk fights he’s had during his 12-year pro careers.
Many boxing fans don’t realize that Charlo is older than Canelo, yet he’s fought largely no one.
Jermall’s best career wins:
- Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams
- Sergiy Derevyanchenko
- Matt Korobov – * controversial win
- Austin Trout
- Cornelius Bundrage
- Hugo Centeno Jr
That’s the full extend of Charlo’s wins over notable opposition, and that’s arguably worse than Andrade’s resume.
Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) puts his unbeaten record and his WBC 160lb strap on the line next month against former Jaime Munguia knockout victim Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) in the main event on Showtime from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Many of the fans in the boxing public were shocked at learning that Jermall had decided on facing the obscure fighter Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs) for the next title defense of his WBC strap rather than stepping up to face a higher-level opponent.
Charlo has already take soft title defenses against Dennis Hogan, Brandon Adams, and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
