Chris Algieri is picking Canelo Alvarez to win on Saturday against Jermell Charlo based on his size, power, and experience he’s had at 168.
Algieri says that people who think Jermell (35-1-1,19 KOs) and just dead wrong, as he’s not built in the same way as the stocky Canelo (59-2-2,39 KOs).
He is taller with a longer reach, but his work rate isn’t high, and he’s going to have problems winning rounds with Canelo landing a lot of eye-catching shots.
Algieri feels that weight classes are there for a reason and that Jermell is going to be asking a lot of himself going up two divisions from 154 without getting acclimated and taking on Canelo, who is one of the best in the 168-lb division.
Many boxing fans disagree with Algieri and believe that Jermell has a good chance of winning Saturday’s fight with undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo on Showtime PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“I don’t see Charlo winning this fight. I never really saw Charlo being in this fight. Two weight classes is a big jump,” said Chris Algieri to ProBox TV about his view that Canelo Alvarez will defeat Jermell Charlo.
“We have weight classes for a reason, and someone as physically strong and as explosive the way that Canelo is, it’s a big ask, and Charlo is not the busiest guy in the world either, neither
one of them are.”
In Jermell’s last fight against Brian Castano last year in May, he used a lot of movement to keep the Argentinian fighter from landing his hard punches.
It’s expected that Jermell will use the same game plan against Canelo because he cannot stand and trade with him. He obviously knows that would be a surefire way of losing.
“They are high percentage punchers, they’re precise, but Canelo having that more explosive, more size, and having those more eye-catching punches, I believe is going to really separate him in terms of the scoring. I’m not sure he’s going to stop Charlo,” said Algieri.
“Charlo’s athleticism, and he’s still a strong guy, could keep him in there, but I could see a late-round stoppage. I could see it going the distance, but I see I see Canelo being in total control, especially in the second half of the fight.”
Jermell will have his moments, but as Paulie Malignaggi mentioned, his temper will be his undoing because he’ll get worked up when Canelo lands his heavy shots. The crowd noise in response to Canelo landing will get Jermell to lose control and start slugging, which is what Alvarez wants.
“Yeah, to the point that Timmy brought up about ‘Charlo looks bigger.’ He is not bigger. Charlo has an incredible frame,” said Algieri. “He’s got a very small waist and got wide shoulders. I sparred with Canelo a bunch of years ago. He was 19 years old, and I was like, ‘Is this guy really 19?’ His neck was like this, his wrist. I’m looking at his body dimensions and look at his ankles.
“I’m like, so this is a big guy, shorter than me, but I’m like, ‘This is not a small man in any way.’ That muscle maturity that matters. The amount of time that he spent in these weight classes matters.
“The way that he has gained that weight and moved up in these weight classes, slow, methodical, systematic. He’s got a brilliant team around him in terms of his nutrition, his supplementation, his exercise training. He is not just eating eating more to go up in weight.
“He’s got a team around him of very smart people. So everyone’s saying that Charlo is a bigger guy and is completely uninformed. Canelo is big and strong for the weight,” said Algieri.
