Jermall Charlo looking for a statement fight next says Stephen Espinoza

By Boxing News - 02/26/2022 - Comments

By Jeff Sorby: Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza says they’re looking for a “big fight” for Jermall Charlo after Canelo Alvarez chose not to take the May 7th fight against him.

Espinoza says they want a contender ranked in the top five or ten for the unbeaten WBC middleweight champion Jermall (32-0, 22 KOs).

One great option for Charlo would be the recently beaten former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb ‘Sweehands’ Plant, who has expressed interest in facing him.

Unfortunately, Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) said he wants the Charlo fight at the end of 2022, suggesting that the 29-year-old ‘Sweethands’ wants a tune-up fight first.

Money talks, though, and it’s reasonable to assume that Plant will change his mind in a second if Espinoza offers him a massive paycheck of $10 million to fight Charlo. With that kind of money offer, Plant will likely agree on the spot to face Jermall on Showtime PPV.

The magic question is whether Plant would be willing to accept a smaller purse around $5 million to face Charlo.

Like many fighters who have gotten a taste of big money after fighting Canelo Alvarez, Plant likely will resist the idea of returning to the money he was making before.

Image: Jermall Charlo looking for a statement fight next says Stephen Espinoza

That’s the problem fighters have after being given a massive $10M+ payday against the Mexican superstar. They don’t want to return to the money they were making before despite losing to Canelo.

Plant hasn’t fought since last November in losing to Canelo by an eleventh round knockout on Showtime PPV.

Thus far, Plant doesn’t have any fights scheduled, and it’s unknown whether he’s going to sit and wait until the end of the year before fighting Jermall.

Jermall is looking for a big fight, another big signature win, a statement fight, another top five, top ten opponent, and we’re doing our best to lock that in for him,” said Showtime Sports executive Stephen Espinoza to Fight Hub TV.

The only contender in the top 10 at middleweight that would be viewed as a “statement fight” for Charlo would be #1 WBA Chris Eubank Jr. However, he’s waiting in line to get a title shot against the winner of Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Ryota Murata unification.

Eubank Jr. has potential big payday fights against Kell Brook and Conor Benn, so it’s not realistic that he’s going to agree to a risky match against Jermall Charlo that would pay him less than what he’d get fighting those guys.

If Espinoza can’t get Plant for Jermall’s next fight, the options are incredibly slim at middleweight. There are some high-caliber contenders are 168 that would fit the description of being a “big fight,” but they would be tough for Charlo.

Options for Jermall Charlo:

  • David Benavidez
  • David Morrell Jr
  • Jose Uzcategui
  • Billy Joe Saunders

Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) is the best of the bunch, but Charlo has shown no interest in fighting him for obvious reasons. That’s a tough one and likely a sure-thing loss for Charlo.

Charlo won’t agree to fight Benavidez because it would wreck the good thing that he has going fighting on Showtime.

Charlo has been making good coin fighting on Showtime against uninspiring opposition like Dennis Hogan, Brandon Adams, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Matt Korobov, Juan Macias Montiel, and Hugo Centeno.

Uzcategui isn’t a big-name opponent, making it impossible to sell Charlo-Uzcategui on Showtime PPV.

Saunders is another fighter that got a taste of the Canelo millions, and he has no interest in returning to the smaller paydays he had before facing him.

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