Jermell Charlo says he’s ready to “test” himself by going up against the best fighter in the sport, Canelo Alvarez, on September 30th, and he wants to see if all the hard work that he’s put in will pay off with a victory on the night.
(Photo credit: Andrew Hemingway/SHOWTIME)
Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) is coming up in weight from 154 to rip the undisputed super middleweight title from Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) and put himself among the all time great of the sport.
The undisputed 154-lb champion Jermell admits that he’s nervous about this fight, but he always feels that way before his big fights.
This fight is even bigger, and it’s more important that he not fail because there won’t be a second chance for Charlo unless he comes away with a victory.
Jermell & Canelo meet on Showtime PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Jermell nervous
“I’m nervous every fight. I’ve been nervous since I was younger, no lie. This is my life I’m putting on the line. I want to get out of there safe,” said Jermell Charlo during Houston media workout today’s fight against Canelo Alvarez.
It’s understandable why Jermell would be nervous about this fight because Canelo could hurt him if he lands some of his big shots. We saw what Canelo did to Billy Joe Saunders, fracturing his orbital bone and knocking Amir Khan unconscious.
There’s also the money aspect. If Jermell wins, he’ll get a rematch, and that’s likely to be an even bigger payday than the first fight with Canelo.
“Every fight, I’m nervous. I’m not shy because if I was shy, I wouldn’t be able to get in the ring,” said Jermell. “Of course, you want to make sure you do good and perform right. You want to look good while you’re fighting, put it all on the line, and make adjustments through adversity.
“That’s the hardest part about boxing. You never know what to expect out of this sport and what’s going to happen. Some of the greatest fighters have lost, and some of the greatest fighters have won.
“I’m amongst the Hall of Fame already; I’m among the top. I’m daring to be great, and I’m going to be great, and that’s it. It would show never stop believing. It’s already written for me. So whatever happens, happens,” said Jermell when asked what it would mean to him if he beats Canelo.
It’s still too early to say if Jermell will be in the Hall of Fame, but if he beats Canelo, that improves his chances of getting there.
“So that alone allows me to be happen, no matter what the outcome,” said Jermell. “Those that rock with me know that change is coming. There’s always out with the old and in with the new, and if I accomplish this massive goal, it would be hard to beat and I’ll be in the record books for a very, very long time amongst the greatest in the world of boxing. That’s super exciting for me.
“A lot of people are hyping up,’Oh, you’re fighting Canelo.’ Like I said, it’s already written. I worked my a** off in my division, and he worked his a** off in his division.
“He made the right decisions, the business moves, and it’s only here now. I can’t stay too focused that I’m in the ring with Canelo now. I’m hungry. I want to win. I want to win this fight for my city, for my town, for my children. I want to win.
“I want to keep working hard and everything that I put on the line. All this hard training I’ve did, I want to see what I get out of it. I want to test myself. It’s time,” said Jermell Charlo.
If Jermell loses, he can’t say that he didn’t train hard to be in top shape because he looks like he’s been putting in the work to be in the best shape possible for the Canelo fight.
