Jermall Charlo Denies Claims He Is Fighting Canelo – ‘Ain’t No Confirmation’
Jermall Charlo has denied claims that he is fighting Canelo Alvarez on May 4 during Cinco De Mayo Weekend.
Speculation increased Charlo could fight Alvarez after the Mexican confirmed that his next opponent would be an American. Charlo was seen as the leading name, although Terence Crawford was also involved. Charlo initially confirmed he would fight Canelo, going so far as to post it on his Instagram. The boxer has had a u-turn, leaving fans none the wiser over who Canelo will fight.
Charlo On Canelo
“Canelo fighting Jermall Charlo, May 4,” Jermall stated
“I haven’t even talked to Al Haymon since I last fought. So everybody that keeps talking about, ‘You’re about to fight Canelo,’ – ain’t no confirmation,” Charlo added
This news leaves Crawford as the front runner. The former Undisputed Welterweight Champion wants the Alvarez fight to become a three-weight undisputed champion. He is currently back in training as he targets another opponent.
The Errol Spence Jr. rematch is now off the table, leaving Bud with a choice over his next move. Fights at 154 pounds appear unlikely since they don’t offer him an immediate undisputed fight, unlike Canelo. Bud is also sparring a super middleweight, hinting he is serious about securing that fight.
But it is also important to remember that David Benavidez would qualify as an American despite his Mexican background. So, if it is not Crawford, fans could still see the Benavidez bout. Given that Canelo reportedly wants a $35 million guarantee, any fight must sell a significant amount of PPVs. Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, has said that the Benavidez fight is much bigger than the Crawford one.
Canelo vs Benavidez
“No. I know the numbers, I know the business. No, it’s not (bigger). It has nothing to do with whether or not somebody deserves the fight or whether they should fight — we’re just talking about the business. The Benavidez vs Canelo fight and Crawford vs Canelo, it’s no comparison.
“But the business, the business, said something else. “See, we’re not in a situation over here where we’re burning money. I haven’t really thought about that. But if you ask me the business, the business of which fight is bigger? The Benavidez fight is bigger. It’s a much bigger fight,” Ellerbe stated
It is all a question of how much risk Canelo wants to take at 33. He is a four-division champion who will go down in the Hall-of-Fame. But if he does not fight Benavidez, there will be question marks over his legacy.
He has been accused of ducking the current WBC Interim Super Middleweight Champion. The Mexican Monster has held that position for over a year, as the calls are increasing for him to fight Canelo. This depends on when the WBC calls the mandatory, as Canelo will be stripped unless he faces his fellow Mexican. That has left Canelo with serious questions to ponder.
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