Undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo 35-1-1 (19) will enter the ring with the hungry mindset of a challenger when he steps through the ropes to face undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 59-2-2 (39) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 30.
With the fight now less than three weeks away, Charlo is fine tuning himself mentally and physically to be ready for anything the Mexican superstar throws his way.
“I’ve been doing this my whole life and now it’s time to put on for my city,” Charlo said. “Put up or shut up and do what I do. I’m facing one of the best fighters in the world, you have to be excited for this moment.
“Now is the right time for this fight. We’re in our primes and at our best. I wanna shake the doubters off and prove to the world why I’m in this position. There’s a reason I made it this far. I’m gonna show what I’m made of. Everything I’ve done since I was eight years old, I’m putting it all on the line now.
“I’m not going to have to worry about losing too much weight. I’ve been sparring bigger guys for a very long time and now it’s about bringing that same mindset that I have at 154-pounds and bringing it up with me to 168-pounds.
“Of course there’s pressure. We have to be dominant and not just rely on a knockout. I have to beat him for 12 rounds. I have to do what I have to do in the ring to protect myself while still being vicious.
“This is a dream come true, just like winning undisputed, winning a world title and making it out the mud was. Once you get this far and see yourself prospering, you just want to keep bringing it. I’m staying focused on handling business.
“We’ve done so much sparring and conditioning. I’m working on the mental as well, because I know it’s not only about the physical. I’ve been training 14 weeks and making sure I do everything I need to.
“I just have to stay hungry. And I’ve been hungry. I would’ve fought Canelo years ago and it probably wouldn’t have been as big as it is now. But I’m not too focused on being in the ring with Canelo, I’m just hungry. I want to win this fight for my city.
“If I accomplish this massive goal, it’ll be hard to top. I’ll be in the record book with the greats of boxing for a long time.
“I’m so dialed in as far as my team and everyone around me. I just need to get in the ring and do what I have to do.”
If victorious, Charlo will become just the second male boxer to hold undisputed championships in two separate weight classes in the four-belt era.
Trainer Derrick James says this would be a special achievement.
“Having two undisputed championships at the same time would be amazing. It would be historic for Jermell,” James said.
“It’s gonna be back and forth early. Canelo has to impose his will and Jermell has to show him who he is. You have to stop him from being his great self.
“Jermell’s advantage is actually his size. You have to maximize that advantage. It’s about what Jermell is able to do. He doesn’t have to become the guy, he has to be the guy.
“You win the fight in the gym. You’re not pulling a rabbit out of your hat. You have to go in the ring having done it the right way.”
