By Dan Ambrose: Gary Antuanne Russell says Jermell Charlo has a puncher’s chance against Canelo Alvarez, but that’s about all he has ahead of their fight on the 30th of September.
(Photo credit: Andrew Hemingway/SHOWTIME)
Canelo has the experience and the technical skills to make his a very simple fight, and going to be a big problem for Jermell to try and figure out what he can do to deal with all the advantages that the Mexican star has going for him.
Russell notes that Canelo isn’t the same fighter that lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013, as he’s matured and learned a lot over the last ten years.
Gary says it wouldn’t be a good idea for Jermell (35-1-1, 19 KOs) to come out fast, trying to brawl by throwing a bunch of looping shots because Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) will time him.
If Jermell fights like a wild man, Canelo will catch him with a big shot and possibly knock him out or stun badly to where he’ll fight defensively from that point on.
What Charlo has working against him is he doesn’t have any experience at 168 to prepare him for a fighter at the level of Canelo, and you can’t count his recent fights against Brian Castano, Tony Harrison, and Jeison Rosario as preparation.
Canelo vs. Charlo will be shown on Showtime PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 30th.
Jermell has puncher’s chance
“He’s got a puncher’s chance, but Canelo, he’s the man. I like Canelo a lot, and I like Charlo a lot,” said Gary Antunne Russell to MillCity Boxing about the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo fight.
“Charlo is bringing more to the table, but Canelo, he’s seasoned, very seasoned. A lot of the wars he’s been in, they’ve done something to him psychologically to the point where I know this will always been simple. Simplicity is the key.”
Canelo is just as aggressive now as he’s always been, and the only real difference is he doesn’t have the same gas tank that he had earlier.
“He’s [Canelo] going to walk at you, he going to keep his hands up, do the responsible things, productive things, and he knows the quickest way to destination is a straight line,” said Gary.
“So, if you want to be a brawler and throw all these looping punches, I’m going to put a jab here, a hard left hand here, a cross left hand here, but I’m going to time you,” Russell said about Canelo.
Jermell will fight aggressively because that’s a style that he’s used his entire career, and it would be silly to think he’ll change at this point.
“I’m not really an onslaught type of fighter. He’s going to pick you apart with everything he throws,” said Russell. “Nowhere near the same. It’s now a lot of maturity a lot of growth, and he’s going to keep it simple about how Canelo has changed since he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013.
Canelo will keep it simple
“He’s going to keep it real simple, and he’s got thunder in both hands,” said Russell. “He’s another person that is going to stick to the game plan. He’s going to watch a couple of videos of how his opponent reacts, and he’s going to dissect that. How they throw their punches and what punches they favor the most, and he’s going to exploit it.”
Canelo is a counterpuncher, so he’s going to keep it simple like he normally does. He’ll come forward, of course, if Jermell isn’t fighting defensively, but it’s going to be the usual style for Canelo.
“I can say that Canelo has been exposed as well, but you got to realize who exposed Canelo. GGG did, and he exposed GGG,” said Russell. “Daniel Jacobs exposed Canelo, and I think Charlo is a better version of Jacobs.”t
Russell might have Daniel Jacobs confused with Dmitry Bivol because he’s the one who exposed Canelo. Jacobs lost to Canelo.
“How Canelo deals with things psychologically. He breaks things down and makes it so simple, and he’s bringing hurt all day and every day,” said Russell. “He’s not coming there to play. He doesn’t come there to showboat.
“I would say if he doesn’t get you out by round seven, it will transition over to showmanship. ‘Now, I’m going to show the level of showmanship because I’m a little gassed, a little winded, a little fatigued, but I’m not ready to roll over yet, and I know I’m going to do it. Still win, hands down,'” said Russell.
