Could Canelo Alvarez Face Jermall Charlo Next?
With no shortage of options for his next fight, rumors are starting to circulate regarding the next dance partner for undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (57-1-2, 39KOs). According to ESPN, the rumored fighter in line is WBC middleweight champion Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo (32-0, 22KOs).
This comes as no surprise considering Alvarez, for the time being, has aligned himself with PBC. His last fight with Caleb Plant took place on Showtime PPV, and president Stephen Espinoza has made it no secret that they’d like to keep the working relationship going. If rumors are true, this is a fantastic matchup.
REVISITING THE PAST!
After Charlo vacated his IBF junior middleweight title and moved up in weight, he would face Jorge Sebastian Heiland in a WBC final eliminator. He would secure the mandatory sport after stopping Heiland in four rounds. Furthermore, in his next fight, he would take on Hugo Cento, stopping him in two rounds to become the WBC interim champion. That win resulted in him becoming the new mandatory challenger for then WBC champion Canelo Alvarez.
In June of 2019, before Charlo fought with Brandon Adams, he was elevated to full champion after the WBC made Alvarez their franchise champion. The decision effectively killed the opportunity for Charlo to face the Mexican superstar.
BACK TO THE CURRENT DAY!
Jermall Charlo, an unbeaten two-division world champion, he has called out for a fight with Alvarez in the past. However, a fight for whatever reason was never able to get done. Now with both men fighting under PBC, it seems like this the best chance to make the fight than ever before. It also helps that Alvarez prefers Charlo as an opponent over another potential opponent in David Benavidez.
One potential sticking point would be the weight class the fight would take place at. Obviously Alvarez is the face of boxing and the biggest money draw, so he’s going to dictate the negotiations. Charlo, who’s never fought past the middleweight limit would more than likely have to move up in weight to super middleweight. Hit Man is a naturally bigger guy than Alvarez, so one would figure a move up in weight would be no problem.
Let’s hope the rumors come out to be true as this fight is truly long overdue, regardless of you think wins this fight. These two men have the styles and power to put on a fan friendly show.
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By: Jerrell Fletcher
