Canelo Alvarez in an Instagram post announced “done deal” for a September fight, no date specified, along with the Premier Boxing Champions text logo.
Alvarez has been talking with several parties, from the Dmitriy Bivol team, to Badou Jack….but the name Jermall Charlo is at the fore, now.
Mike Coppinger of ESPN reported that Alvarez is referring to Jermall as the unnamed foe for the September start. Sept. 16, Coppinger’ sources told ESPN. It’s a three-fight deal for Canelo with PBC, Coppinger wrote. He called it “a coup for Al Haymon in landing boxing’s top star.”
Jermall is an interesting choice. The twin hitter from Texas last fought June 19, 2021, winning a UD12 against Juan Macias Maciej, in defense of his WBC middleweight crown.
Does he still have that title? Only hardcore fans who pay attention to all the sanctioning body talk know. But seriously, he’s been out of the ring for two years, is 33 years old, and has admitted to dealing with emotional issues.
Is Jermall Being Picked Partially Because Canelo Knows He’s Rusty?
His fans know that he’s been enmeshed in outside the ring issues, after splitting with wife Shantel. They have five kids together, and custody rights have been fought over. That may well be meaningless, of course, being that for fighters, quite often they are most at home, comfortable, in the ring.
Others will not be pleased that Canelo, who turns 33 on July 18, isn’t somehow making a sequel against Bivol happen.
And still others were hoping Canelo would call an audible, and challenge younger gun David Benavidez to a dance off at 168.
Canelo didn’t look stellar in his last outing, versus John Ryder, so some of his critics might cut him some slack, as it is understood widely he is past his peak.