Jermall Charlo says he WON’T fight David Benavidez to earn a fight against Canelo Alvarez. He says he wants the superstar Canelo (57-2-2, 39 KOs) to fight him without needing to earn it by beating the former two-time WBC 168-lb champion Benavidez.
Jermall, 32, says Canelo is trying to be a promoter by telling him who he needs to fight, and he’s not going to do it. He won’t fight Benavidez because there’s nothing for him to gain besides a fight with Canelo.
Canelo said in a recent interview that if the unbeaten Jermall (32-0, 22 KOs) wants to face him, he only needs to fight Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs), and he’ll face whoever emerges as the winner.
“I laugh; you’re trying to be a promoter now?” said Jermall Charlo to Showtime Sports, reacting to being told that Canelo Alvarez suggested that Jermall fight Benavidez, and he’ll fight the winner.
“Why you won’t fight me? Why do you want somebody else to fight me? Why don’t you fight me? I’m 32. You’re 32. I was at 154, and Canelo was at 154. I had a belt, and he had a belt, and he didn’t fight me.”
Canelo’s promoter Eddie Hearn notes that Jermall’s resume is poor and that he’s never fought anyone to earn a fight against Canelo. To be sure, Jermall holds the WBC middleweight title, but he’s been fighting lesser opposition one after another and not taking the dangerous fighters like Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade.
Jermall’s opposition since 2017
- Juan Macias Montiel
- Sergiy Derevyanchenko
- Dennis Hogan
- Brandon Adams
- Jorge Sebastian Heiland
- Hugo Centeno Jr
- Matt Korobov
“I moved up to 160 when he was at 160, and he moved up [to 168],” said Charlo about Canelo. What do I got to do to keep chasing him with my legacy? I’m just going to keep winning.
“He probably realized how big I was and how fresh I was,” said Jermall about how he and David Benavidez almost came to blows while attending the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas clash on April 16th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. “Come fight me.
“I wonder if they’d give me a chance to fight Golovkin, and I beat Golovkin, then will Canelo try to fight me? I take that fight away while he chases Bivol. While you chase Bivol, let me give Golovkin a tune-up.
“I’ll be the B-side. He [Canelo] wants to try and be a promoter. Let’s make a semi-final. I spoke to my team about it, but I didn’t really get an answer-back. I don’t pick my fights; I’m not into that. Tell me who I’m fighting, and I’ll fight them.
“As long as it makes sense to you guys, I know my team is the best. I’m going to make sure Jermall Charlo is the best Jermall Charlo that I can be,” said Charlo.
You got to feel sorry for Showtime, as they keep showing Jermall’s fights against lackluster opposition, and he’s not going to ever become a star due to his reluctance to fight better fighters like Benavidez.
