Jermell Charlo has been eying a fight with Canelo Alvarez ever since the duo was tied to Golden Boy Promotions over a decade ago. (photo by Ryan Hafey)
Charlo has been fighting exclusively as a super welterweight since 2011, and the four-division champion Alvarez last fought at 154 pounds in 2016.
But now, the pair of 33-year-olds will meet in a battle between undisputed champions when Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) faces Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) in a super middleweight matchup on Sept. 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Showtime pay-per-view.
Charlo will be jumping up two weight classes in order to face Alvarez.
“When I got the call for this fight, there was nothing I could say other than ‘let’s go.’ My whole career has kind of been all about chasing Canelo. He’s been the top guy for a long time. The fight has presented itself now and I just have to get in there, do my job and be the best that I can be,” Charlo said during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton.
“After September 30, people are gonna appreciate my skills and what I’ve been doing for so long, ever since I was a kid. With every fight, I come to put on a show, and I’m dangerous the whole fight. I want to be known as great.”
When Alvarez signed a three-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions earlier this year, he originally intended on facing Jermell’s twin brother and 160-pound WBC champion Jermall, but Jermall was not fit to fight and the opportunity was passed over instead to Jermell.
“He’s gonna find out that I’m the big Charlo. I am what I say I am. Canelo will see that I pack good punching power, that I have good lateral movement, and that I’m a ring general, just like he is. He’ll see that it won’t be a walk in the park. He says he’s gonna be better in this fight, and it’s the same thing for me,” said Charlo.
“I’m gonna bring that Texas heat. I’m gonna show up and show out. I’m gonna have fun and do what I do. This is what I love to do. I’m gonna represent the culture and put on a show.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.