Jermall Charlo wants to fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez before the Mexican boxing star retires. The former two-weight world champion plans to make his 168-pound debut soon, setting his sights on the undisputed super-middleweight champion.
Canelo continues to be the man to beat in boxing. He's won his last six fights, beating tough opponents like Gennady Golovkin, John Ryder, and Jermell Charlo. Now, he's getting ready for a big fight with Terence Crawford in September.
Charlo, who's 35, has been out of the ring due to mental health issues. But he says he's back and feeling better than ever. He'll fight Thomas 'Cornflake' LaManna next at 168 pounds. LaManna has won 39 out of 45 fights.
In a recent media interview, Charlo laid out his plans:
"I want Canelo. I want Plant first and then maybe Canelo before it's too late."
Charlo sounds confident about his comeback. At an open workout, he declared:
"I'm back baby. I'm actually smarter now. Now my mind-frame has met up with my physical ability, I might just have tapped into my prime. I'm super focused. It's one of the best camps I've had. The people around me, they stood by me, this is one of the best camps I've had to date … I don't know if I stop him, but I definitely hurt him. That's what I'm here for."
Before getting to Canelo, Charlo wants to fight Caleb Plant. They're both fighting on the same card, and there's some history between them. If they both win, we might see them face off next.
Charlo's fight with LaManna will show if he's really ready for the big names. Plant will face Jose Armando Resendiz on the same night, coming off a win against Trevor McCumby.
Canelo still has two fights left on his contract with Riyadh Season. After the Crawford fight, he'll have one more to go. Charlo will need to make his move soon if he wants to catch Canelo before he hangs up his gloves.
