Jermall Charlo is causing concern after reports a fight with Canelo Alvarez is in the works for May.
Charlo returned to the ring on Saturday night for the first time in almost thirty months. He was visibly emotional in the ring as he defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. on points.
It’s been the most challenging period of Charlo’s career as he suffered mental health issues during his time out.
Promising to be active in 2024, the WBC middleweight champion has stated on more than one occasion that Canelo could be next.
There are real fears for Charlo over the matter, though. Many see it as too early to face one of the pound-for-pound best in the world.
Jermall Charlo is back
“I’ll be back stronger, just know that,” Charlo said after his victory. “I thought about everything that I’ve been through every round.
God’s got me. I want to thank everybody who never left my side. But I want to thank Al Haymon for understanding me.
“I know when you’re a man, it’s hard to explain what you stand for to somebody. But I’m happy that I went through what I went through because I showed myself that anything can be done.”
The undefeated fighter is back in the game. He scored a spirited win against a very game Benavídez Jr. in their 163 pounds [Charlo weighed 166] bout.
Charlo was visibly the much larger man. He pushed Benavídez around the ring with his pole-like jab and hard right hands.
Benavidez win
It all added up to a wide decision for Charlo by scores of 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92. He remained undefeated at 33-0 with 22 KOs.
Charlo landed 116 of 334 total jabs for a 35% connect rate and 127 of 279 power punches for a 46% clip. He took control, exhibiting the skills that have made him one of the sport’s most entertaining and skilled fighters.
Benavídez was hurt with a straight right hand toward the end of the first round after Charlo started slowly, resulting from his long layoff.
Charlo landed a sharp right uppercut midway through the second.
Benavídez briefly hurt Charlo to start the third with a jab-right hand combination.
Still, Charlo responded with an overhand right that snapped Benavídez’s head back with a minute left in the frame.
Charlo unloaded on Benavídez in the fourth as Benavídez covered up under Charlo’s heavy jabs and lefts.
He snapped Benavídez’s head back with a right uppercut with 40 seconds left in the sixth. Charlo then hurt Benavídez in the tenth round with a snappy right.
Canelo
It was a convincing win, but Benavidez – who Terence Crawford stopped – is no Canelo.
