By Dan Ambrose: Former junior middleweight champion Austin Trout picks Jermell Charlo to beat Canelo Alvarez on September 30th in their bout for the Mexican star’s undisputed super middleweight championship on Showtime PPV.
Trout fought both fighters, and he feels that Jermell (35-1-1, 19 KOs) is more dangerous and is still in the prime of his career compared to Canelo, who is fading at 33.
In 2013, Trout lost a questionable decision to Canelo in a fight in which the superstar spent the last five rounds with his back against the ropes after he was hurt by a body shot.
Despite losing, Trout looked like the better fighter, walking Canelo down all night and battering him with jabs and right hands.
In contrast, Trout fought Jermell in 2018 and was dropped twice by him in a fight that he lost a twelve decision.
Jermell more powerful than Canelo
“Canelo is very explosive in his punches. He’s not going to punch the whole time. He’s very choosy and picks shots, but he places them very well,” said Austin Trout to K.O. Artist Spots about Canelo Alvarez’s next title defense against Austin Trout.
“So if Charlo is going to be busy on his attack, he’s always keeping in mind that his shots are coming. So I think Charlo should be busy. Don’t worry about Canelo’s size. In my opinion, I think Charlo is the bigger man naturally.”
There’s no question that Jermell is the bigger fighter of the two, both in height, reach & weight.
If Canelo is going to win this fight, he’s going to need to land a big punch to score a knockout unless, of course, he wins a controversial decision.
You can’t rule out a robbery because Canelo has been involved in many of those during his long career. But if the judges get it right with their scoring, Jermell has an excellent chance of winning.
“Even though he’s coming up in weight, I think that’s going to be a benefit for him because he’s been sucking down to get to 154,” said Trout. “From what he’s coming down from, I don’t know, but I’m guessing close to 200, for sure.
“In my experience of both men, I walked Canelo down. I was on the back foot with Charlo. Now, it was a five-year difference, but nonetheless, that was the difference, in my opinion. Charlo was definitely the stronger man at 154.
“Yeah, he [Jermell] put me down twice. Canelo put me down once. I came back and won the round. They didn’t give me credit for it, but with Charlo, I had to outbox him. I couldn’t walk him down. I couldn’t try to out-brawl him.
“With Canelo, they forced me to have to walk him down and brawl him, and I was able to, in a sense, to have some success with It. He’s a little bit bigger. If Jermell is going to stand there, it’s going to be great for Canelo,” said Trout.
Canelo looked in distress from the seventh round after Trout hurt him with a shot to the bread basket, and he didn’t dare leave the ropes after that. When the results of the fight were announced, the crowd seemed stunned & confused, as if they couldn’t believe their ears.
Charlo can upset Alvarez
“If Jermell is moving a little bit, pot-shotting, Canelo is going to have to try and break him down, hit the arms like he does, and work the body,” said Trout. “The body is going to be key for both of them.
“Charlo can hurt Canelo to the body, and Canelo can hurt Charlo to the body. So, I think the bodywork is going to be key. Canelo is very good with the bodywork, but Charlo is too. So, we’ll see what happens.
“I don’t think Canelo has the great advantage like a lot of people do, and I’m pulling for Charlo to have an upset based on his recent past performances. I do think Jermell can have success on the outside.
“Then when he [Jermell] stuns him and stings him, which I believe he can capitalize on it. I think Charlo can pull off the upset. Canelo is more consistent in and out of the ring. I don’t know Charlo’s lifestyle outside of the ring.
“I think Charlo can, especially when you think about the last few performances. Charlo has looked good in his last three fights. Canelo, unfortunately, has not.
“Canelo has been pro since he was 15. Charlo has been pro since 2013, maybe. So one may have more wear & tear than the other. I think so,” said Trout about this fight, telling us which of the two, Canelo or Jermell, has more wear & tear.
“I think Charlo is more in his prime. Canelo is still in his prime, but maybe in the tail end of his prime. That’s my idea and my opinion of what I’ve seen and saw in the ring with them and what I’ve seen outside in the last year or two,” said Trout.
