Canelo Alvarez to Face Jermell Charlo, Not Brother Jermall, in September Fight

Jermall was not in the right head space for the fight against the undisputed 168-pound champion, sources told Sports Illustrated.
Canelo Alvarez to Face Jermell Charlo, Not Brother Jermall, in September Fight
Canelo Alvarez to Face Jermell Charlo, Not Brother Jermall, in September Fight /

In an abrupt turn of events, Saul “Canelo” Álvarez, the undisputed 168-pound champion who had been preparing for a showdown with 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo, will instead face Charlo’s brother, Jermell, the undisputed 154-pound champion in a clash of four-belt titleholders in September.

Jermall, who has been dealing with significant personal issues, did not believe he would be in the right head space to train properly for a Canelo fight, sources familiar with the situation told Sports Illustrated. Jermall (32–0) has not fought since June 2021, when he claimed a lopsided decision win over Juan Macias Montiel.

Jermell, who has been recovering from a left hand injury, has been out of the ring since May 2022. Jermell (35-1-1) has been preparing for a title defense against Tim Tszyu, the undefeated Australian who has picked up back-to-back knockout wins over Tony Harrison and Carlos Ocampo this year. Instead, Jermell will move up two weight classes to challenge Alvarez (59-2-2), who is coming off a win over John Ryder in May.

Alvarez-Charlo will air on Showtime Pay Per View. 


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Chris Mannix
CHRIS MANNIX

Chris Mannix is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated covering the NBA and boxing beats. He joined the SI staff in 2003 following his graduation from Boston College. Mannix is the host of SI's "Open Floor" podcast and serves as a ringside analyst and reporter for DAZN Boxing. He is also a frequent contributor to NBC Sports Boston as an NBA analyst. A nominee for National Sportswriter of the Year in 2022, Mannix has won writing awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Pro Basketball Writers Association, and is a longtime member of both organizations.