Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, sells merchandise with his catchphrase, ‘No Boxing, No Life,’ on it. That slogan sums up how a lot of boxing’s most loyal, and rabid, fans feel.
They struggle to understand how boxers don’t want to take fights in January, since it means training over the holidays. They can’t fathom how a boxer skips a potentially significant bout because of a child’s birthday.
Since boxing is their passion, it’s difficult for many of them to grasp that it is a job to the athletes, and only a part of their lives.
Understanding that dynamic, though, is key to understanding the Jermall Charlo story. He’s a superb talent who has faded into the background, but has the ability to energize the super middleweight division if he commits to it.
Charlo will face Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna in a super middleweight bout on Saturday on a Premier Boxing Champions card in Las Vegas being streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
It will be just Charlo’s second fight in the last four years.
This card, which judging by the massive odds is full of likely mismatches, is designed to set up a future clash between Charlo and Caleb Plant.
At DraftKings SportsBook, Plant is a -2500 favorite to defeat Armando Resendiz (+1100) in the main event.
Charlo is a -1400 favorite over LaManna, who is +750. That means that if you bet Charlo to win, you’ll have to risk $1,400 to win $100.
At his best, Charlo is an elite and entertaining fighter. But he’s done most of his fighting outside the ring, finding himself repeatedly in scrapes with the law. He’s had personal issues to handle and has dealt with mental health problems.
Life and family are far more important than boxing, and taking care of those issues is clearly where Charlo needs to focus.
He is back to face LaManna at Michelob Ultra Arena, but it’s hard as a fan to work up much enthusiasm given his inactivity and the recent lack of big names on his resume.
He fought Juan Macias Montiel on June 19, 2021, in what was essentially a gimme fight, and then on Nov. 25, 2023, defeated a smaller Jose Benavidez, who was moving up in weight to face him.
Charlo hasn’t faced a truly dangerous opponent since Sergiy Derevyanchenko nearly five years ago.
He’s also burdened by the dreadful performance by his twin brother, Jermell, in a 2023 loss to Canelo. Jermell was the undisputed super welterweight champion at the time and jumped to 168 for the opportunity to fight Alvarez for the undisputed strap there.
Jermell’s effort was desultory and, fair or not, he’s tied to his twin. Given Jermall’s inactivity, it’s hard to develop much passion for him.
Rhonda Costa/Premier Boxing Champions
Caleb Plant faces Armando Resendiz on Saturday in Las Vegas in the main event.
Charlo said the right things, but it’s a lot easier to say them than to execute.
“You’ll see I’m back when you see me jabbing and doing my thing,” Charlo said. “I’m really excited to get back in the ring.”
If he’s anything close to the guy he was previously, when he won world titles at 154 and 160 and defeated the likes of Austin Trout and Julian Williams, he’ll be a welcome addition to the field of contenders chasing Alvarez.
Alvarez will defend his title against Terence Crawford in September. None of the top three contenders behind him in the Ring ratings — No. 1 Christian Mbili, No. 2 Diego Pacheco and No. 3 Osleys Iglesias — have much name recognition among casual fans.
A re-energized Charlo would provide that and would deepen the field of contenders.
Plant, 2-2 in his last four, is ranked fourth at 168 and could easily be No. 1. He was stopped by Alvarez in 2021 and lost a decision to David Benavidez in 2023. They are two of the 10 best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
He hasn’t been much more active than Charlo — just one fight in each of 2022, 2023 and 2024 — but his caliber of opposition has been much higher than Charlo’s.
And Plant has scored ninth-round stoppages of both Anthony Dirrell and Trevor McCumby.
He proved against both Alvarez and Benavidez he’s capable of competing at the highest level. He gave both rough moments, a significant point against a pair of elite talents.
“It feels great to be here back on the big stage again,” Plant said. “I’ve been in nothing but world title fights and title eliminators since 2017, so I’m ready to show out. I never get too high or too low. I’m focused and even-keeled. I’m locked in. We had a great training camp and I’m ready to whoop ass.”
Plant had better hope Charlo brings that attitude to his bout with LaManna. Going through the motions and winning a lopsided but yawn-inducing decision will do nothing to stir the passions and build interest in a bout with Plant.
Charlo needs to make a statement. He needs to go out and treat LaManna as a 14-1 underdog. Charlo is gifted enough to bully LaManna and finish him. He ought to act pissed that he was given this type of opponent.
Plant is a pro and is always in shape and always comes to fight. It’s fair to assume he’ll carry his end of the bargain against Resendiz.
There’s never been much doubt about Charlo’s skills. He’s got those in abundance.
But does he care? Has he overcome his personal problems and has he treated his mental health issues correctly?
For us to care about his future, Charlo has to prove that he’s not just there to cash a big check. It’d be nice to see him treat his job as if it’s the most important thing in his life.
We need him to show that he gives a damn as much as we do.
If it’s no life, all boxing for Charlo on Saturday, that’d be the best news of all.
Rhonda Costa/Premier Boxing Champions
Jermall Charlo is a -1400 favorite to win Saturday.