Shawn Porter predicts that Canelo Alvarez will fight Jermall Charlo next May on Cinco de Mayo, not Jaime Munguia or David Benavidez as some fans hoped.
Porter feels that Terence Crawford has a chance to fight Canelo as well, but that’ll likely be in September after the Mexican star faces Jermall next May. Crawford would be an excellent option for Canelo to face in 2024, as that fight would be huge.
Canelo choosing Jermall for his next fight now that Munguia is scheduled to fight former Alvarez opponent John Ryder in late January.
Munguia’s fight against John Ryder on January 27th in Phoenix, Arizona, essentially removes him from the possibility of fighting Canelo because there won’t be enough time for him to jump back into training camp to face the Mexican star in May.
Porter feels that Jermall’s recent victory over Jose Benavidez last month on November 25th earned him the fight against Canelo Alvarez next May.
If Munguia does face Canelo in 2024, it’ll be in September, which is bad news for David Benavidez because that removes him from the equation for Alvarez next year. Unless Canelo chooses to fight Benavidez in 2025, that fight probably will never happen.
Jemall took Benavidez Jr. to school, outboxing & out-punching him from start to finish and winning by the scores 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92.
Porter predicts Canelo vs. Jermall Charlo in May
“I think Canelo still has the drive for boxing, but probably not the drive that it takes to get in the ring and fight and contend round after round with someone like Benavidez,” said Shawn Porter to K.O. Artist Sports. “I don’t think you guys are going to give somebody like Canelo a pass.
“Canelo has been a pro for almost 20 years. That’s two careers for a lot of us. I think that’s miles. I kind of think Jermall fought himself into a fight with Canelo,” said Porter when asked who he sees Canelo fighting on Cinco de Mayo next May in 2024.
This is obviously going to have David Benavidez stewing if Jermall gets the fight that he wanted against Canelo, but that’s how it goes. Benavidez, his dad, Jose Sr., has been pushing way too hard for the Canelo and is just way too needy.
You can’t do that with someone as rich as Canelo with his estimated $200 million+ fortune. He’s like royalty, and you have to bow & cringe a little.
Benavidez has been too bossy, like he’s the captain of a pirate ship, ordering Canelo to swab the deck and polish the brass. Canelo isn’t going to take orders, so he wants nothing to do with Benavidez, who is SOL at this point.
“I don’t know what the business was for Canelo, but I kind of think it was for Canelo, but I kind of think it was little brother [Jermell], bigger brother [Jermall],” said Porter.
Jermell has never been the puncher that Jermall is, and he’s not had the same sluggers mentality that he possesses.
As such, Canelo won’t have to worry about Jermall playing it safe, fighting in a safety-first manner like his brother did, because that’s not how he fights.
He probably could have finished Benavidez Jr. if he’d wanted to, but focused on boxing under control, and occasionally anding some huge shots in the later rounds that had him hurt.
Jermall was the one that Canelo originally wanted to fight last September, but he wasn’t ready to go at the time, so his twin Jermell took the match and put in a disastrous performance.
“Whatever the case may be, I think that could still happen. Outside of that, Bud [Crawford] is really talking, trying to make that fight happen [against Canelo]. I think that’s something that could happen as well,” said Porter.
