Avila Perspective, Chap. 248: Canelo vs Charlo plus Weekend Boxing Notes

Dare to be great.

Looking to take a page out of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s own playbook, Jermell Charlo will jump up two weight divisions to tangle with one of the greats of this era, it was announced today.

Only the true champions take these type of contests.

Undisputed super welterweight champion Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) will meet undisputed super middleweight champion Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) on Saturday Sept. 30, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Showtime pay-per-view will televise the Premier Boxing Champions event.

“I’m very happy that we got to make a fight of this magnitude between two undisputed champions,” said Canelo, 33, winner of four division world titles.

It’s not a surprise by any means.

For the past month it was cited at various times on social media that the two were in negotiations. Today it became official.

It was expected that Jermall Charlo, who actually fights at the heavier middleweight division and looking to move up to super middleweight, would be the twin brother to face Canelo. But the lighter 154-pound brother known as “Iron Man,” jumped in front and basically asked for the match.

It was a gutsy move.

“This is the biggest fight in boxing and I’m coming to leave it all in the ring like I do every time. I manifested this fight into existence and earned it with everything I’ve done in this sport so far,” said Charlo, 33.

Charlo avenged a loss and a draw in spectacular fashion by knocking out both foes. First, he stopped Tony Harrison by stoppage four years ago in Ontario, Calif. It was a remarkable display of correcting earlier mistakes and taking back the WBC super welterweight belt he lost to Harrison a year earlier.

A year ago, May 2022, Charlo avenged a draw against Argentina’s Brian Castano with a brutal knockout in the 10^th round to become undisputed super welterweight champion in Carson, Calif. Maybe Charlo should be fighting in California again, he’s had tremendous success in the Golden State.

In terms of physical dimensions, Charlo has several advantages in height and reach. He also has never been stopped and displays a mean streak that will help inside the ropes.

Mexico’s Alvarez has experience, plenty of experience.

Canelo has been fighting professionally since he was 15 years old and after beating Mexico’s best, he invaded “El Norte,” in October 2008. There the Mexican redhead discovered the American style of boxing and nearly stumbled against Larry Mosley at Morongo Casino. But he prevailed and he soon returned back to Mexico undefeated. Barely.

When Alvarez returned two years later, he was matched carefully against various styles not prevalent in Mexico. For the next three years he fought former champions such as Carlos Baldomir, Kermit Cintron, Shane Mosley, Austin Trout and then he went after the big dog Floyd “Money” Mayweather in 2013.

He got a crash course on the American style of fighting by the master and suffered his first loss. It proved beneficial and forced the Mexican fighter to learn new techniques and defenses. He used these new weapons to defeat Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Sergey Kovalev, and emerge upright three times against powerful Gennady Golovkin.

Canelo’s only loss other than Mayweather came by decision against light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol. No shame in that.

Now he’s encountering someone who dares take the same path to greatness.

“Canelo is a great fighter, but he’s gonna see what Lions Only is all about. When the fight’s over, people are gonna have to recognize that I’m the best fighter in the sport,” Charlo said.

Canelo seems pleased that Charlo asked for the test.

“Jermell Charlo has also faced the best in his division, and I’m glad that the fans are going to enjoy a world class fight between us on September 30,” said Alvarez.

Mexican war in Phoenix

WBO super featherweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) finds ways to emerge victorious but this time faces former featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) on Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix.

Navarrete could no longer make the featherweight division weight limit, so he jumped up a division and took the WBO super featherweight title away from Australia’s Liam Wilson in a heated battle. Both fighters were knocked down. Does he have anything left?

Valdez lost the WBC super featherweight title to Shakur Stevenson a year ago and recently beat Adam Lopez in their rematch last May. This fight with Navarrete was the plan all along.

Bantamweights in DC

Puerto Rico’s Emmanuel Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) and Nicaragua’s Melvin Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs) meet for the vacant IBF bantamweight world title on Saturday at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 5:30 p.m. Albert Bell (23-0) vs Presco Cacosia (11-2-1).

Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Anthony Joshua (25-3) vs Robert Helenius (32-4).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Emanuel Navarrete (37-1) vs Oscar Valdez (31-1).

Sat. Showtime 7 p.m. Emmanuel Rodriguez (21-2) vs Melvin Lopez (29-1).

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