A rollercoaster experience is the one that current WBC World Middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo lived recently. From beingalmost erased from Canelo Alvarez‘s list of possible next rivalsby several reports, to being readdedby a Canelo’s Team public statement, to finallycouldpart from the possibility due to a legal problemunrelated to boxing.
Initially, ESPN‘s reporterMike Coppingerreleased that Canelo was close to accepting thetwo-fight dealoffered to him by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn. The offer supposedly included an$85 millionguaranteed pay to Alvarezfor clashing against WBA Light heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol in May, and then, in case of success, IBF Middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkinin September for the third time in 5 years.
However, 24 hours after, Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s lifelongcoach and now manager, published on social media an official statement that returned Jermall Charlo’s hopes to fightthe undisputed Super middleweight Champion: “There are offers for Canelo’s next fight from PBC and Matchroom. The negotiation process is still a work in progress. A final decision has not been reached”.
Jermall Charlo is arrestedin Texas on felony assault charges
According to several media reports, at13:29 hours of Friday, February 11, the reigning WBC Middleweight Championwas arrested in Fort Bend County Texas, as a consequence of a warrantissued by the County Sheriff’s Office. Thereasonis a felonycharge afterassaultingand causingbodily injuryto a Family Member. This after previouslyhavinga conviction for family violence.
Unfortunately for Jermall Charlo (32-0-0, 22 KO’s), it is not the first legal problem thathe faces, as he was underinvestigation for an aggravated assault incidentthat happened in May 2020. AsBoxing Scenereports: “It remains unclear if the recent arrest warrant is a result of a development in that case or if his arrest on Friday was for a freshly reported incident“.
Also in last July, but in San Antonio, Texas,the Hitman, and twin brother of Jermell Charlo, the reigning WBC, WBA, and IBF World Super welterweight Champion, was chargedon a second-degree felony robberybut he was fully exonerated in the last weeks of last January.
This legal trouble could make Jermall Charlo lose the possibility to face Canelo Alvarez in May. The boxing community has already witnessed a similar story last year when Rolando Rolly Romero was withdrawn from his fight against Gervonta Davis due to an accusation of sexual assault.
Canelo Alvarez’s list of opponents could have been reduced after Charlo’s arrest. (Getty Images)
