Canelo Alvarez evidently is going to fight Charlo in September. Only it’s the not the Charlo it was reported to be.
The undisputed 168-pound champion indicated on social media that he is going to face undisputed 154-pound champ Jermell Charlo, not his twin brother and 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo. And sources have confirmed the news.
Alvarez’s first fight with Premier Boxing Champions will take place on Sept. 30 in Las Vegas, he said on Twitter. He didn’t mention a venue.
“Undisputed vs. Undisputed,” was how he billed the matchup.
UNDISPUTED vs UNDISPUTED
🗓️ Sept. 30
đź“ŤLas Vegas pic.twitter.com/pAlSN5VszU— Canelo Alvarez (@Canelo) June 30, 2023
Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) recently signed what is believed to be a three-fight contract with PBC, which manages a number of the top fighters in and around the Mexican star’s division.
He reportedly had been in talks with Jermall Charlo, who has dealt with mental health issues, hasn’t fought in more than two years and would’ve had to move up one division. However, that fight couldn’t be made for undisclosed reasons.
Alvarez then turned his attention to Jermell Charlo, who also had publicly expressed interest in challenging Alvarez.
Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) is one of the most respected fighters in the world — more respected than his brother — but he will have to move up two divisions to face a future Hall of Famer who, at 32, is a year younger than the Charlos.
Many believe Alvarez is in decline after so-so performances in his loss to 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol and decisions over Gennadiy Golovkin and John Ryder at 168, which might make Charlo’s challenge less daunting.
Jermell Charlo is coming off one of his most impressive performances, a 10th-round knockout in his rematch with Brian Castano in May of last year. That means he will have been out of the ring for 16 months when he faces Alvarez.
Fans are hoping that Alvarez’s first fight with PBC will lead to a showdown with 168-pound rival David Benavidez.
Alvarez had made it clear that he wanted a second meeting with Bivol, who easily outpointed him in May of last year. However, he went a different direction when they couldn’t come to terms.
So here we are: The 168-pound king vs. the 154-pound king. Interesting, to say the least.
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