Canelo vs Charlo is Close!
By Eddie Sanchez
Fight fans, we are a month and a half away from Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo. The two will meet at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, on September 30. Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO), the Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion, will once again have his belts on the line, as he is set to face the current Undisputed Junior Middleweight Champion, Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KO).
In a fight that surprised many when it was originally announced, as many assumed Canelo would challenge Jermall Charlo, the current WBC Middleweight Champion, the two rival camps have since made numerous claims that the plan for them to face each other was always the case.
“Both are great fighters. No disrespect to them. But I think Jermell has had better opposition in his fights. I think he’s the better fighter,” Alvarez said on Wednesday as part of their media tour, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
Considering personal accolades, there is no question that Jermell is the more accomplished fighter when compared to his twin brother. He is in full belief of his resume and skills and sees ample opportunity to take advantage of the Mexican, and he already has an idea of what it will take for him to be successful in the biggest fight of his career.
“I know that jab has got to be active and lateral movement has really got to be active as well. So, we can’t just sit there and take shots either,” said Jermell Charlo to Showtime Boxing.
“It’s about being smart in there. So using my IQ will definitely put this fight in my hands.”
To those across the combat sports world who have raised questions about Canelo’s current status as an elite champion, Alvarez shared, “I understand what the people say, and I agree. I didn’t look my best in the last two fights. But I know why, and I’m ready for this fight. We’ll see what’s going to happen. You’re going to see something different.”
Canelo Alvarez will enter this fight on a two-fight win streak via unanimous decision. Though he was unable to finish Gennadiy Golovkin and John Ryder within twelve rounds, the fights have restored confidence within Canelo’s camp following just the second defeat of his career to Dmitry Bivol.
There should be no doubt that these two men will be fully ready coming September 30 on Showtime PPV. To those who question whether Charlo will be biting off more than he can chew by moving up from 154 to 168 pounds, President of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza, nipped those concerns in the bud.
“We’re going to see is that he’s going to look pretty natural. I don’t think he’s going to be 168. Probably somewhere in the mid-160s, low to mid-160s. We’ll find out on fight night, said Stephen Espinoza on the Showtime Boxing podcast.
Alvarez is no stranger to giving up length to his opponents. Despite the jump in two weight classes for Charlo, he will own a 4-inch height advantage (6’0’’ to 5’8’’) and a 2.5-inch reach advantage (73’’ to 70.5’’), respectively. This is a thrilling matchup as fans will learn whose strengths will come out on top – Charlo’s length and mobility, or Alvarez’s blend of defense and power.
