By Ken Hissner: Is the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF Super Welterweight champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo, 35-1-1, taking a big chance moving up not one but two divisions?
Charlo is taking on WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF Super Middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, 59-2-2, in his next fight on September 30th at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Back in May of 1938, Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong, 87-11-7, who was the world featherweight champion, jumped two divisions to defeat the world welterweight champion Barney Ross 74-3-3, by decision over 15 rounds putting Ross into retirement.
Then Armstrong captured the lightweight title defeating Lou Ambers, 75-5-7, while holding the other two titles being the only boxer in history to hold three division titles at the same time.
Now Charlo, who hasn’t fought since May of 2022 when he defeated Brian Carlos Castano, 17-0-2, in a rematch after drawing with him previously, is moving up to challenging Alvarez.
While Charlo’s brother WBC World Middleweight champion Jermall “Hit Man” has been inactive since June of 2021, you would have thought he would be the one moving up and challenging Alvarez instead of his brother.
Alvarez is coming off two wins with one over IBF and WBA Middleweight champion Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, 42-1-1, and in his last fight over WBO Interim World Super Middleweight champion John ‘The Gorilla’ Ryder, 32-5, in his last fight in May. He previously lost to WBA Super World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol, 19-0, in May of 2022.
Seems Alvarez keeps avoiding WBC Interim World Super Middleweight champion David Benavidez, 27-0, and WBA Super World champion David Morrell, Jr., 8-0.
How the organizations are allowing Alvarez to defend against Charlo as champion at two lower divisions makes one wonder.