Charlo, now 35, has fought just twice in the last five years, and neither victory established him as a real factor in the division. His wins over Thomas LaManna and Jose Benavidez Jr. came against fighters who were not considered serious threats to win a world title. Those fights kept his record intact, but they didn’t get him any closer to earning a championship opportunity through competition.
Title shot without eliminator
Boxing insider Fernando Sabatini reported that the fight is likely to be announced soon.
“From what I’ve found out and what it looks like to me, it’s very likely that the fight they announce next Thursday or Friday will be Armando Reséndiz vs. Jermall Charlo,” Sabatini wrote on X.
The opening came about after negotiations between Resendiz and Jaime Munguia collapsed. Munguia was removed from the bout after he reportedly praised himself, forcing Resendiz’s team to search for a replacement opponent. Charlo became the easiest solution because both fighters operate under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, which removes promotional resistance.
Resendiz earned his position by knocking out Caleb Plant over twelve rounds, a victory that immediately raised his standing in the division. Charlo hasn’t beaten anyone at that level since moving up to super middleweight. That difference explains why this fight exists because of availability and name recognition, not because Charlo forced him into the fight.
Mandatory still waiting
The WBA’s no. 1 contender, Bektemir Melikuziev, technically remains first in line, but his scheduled fight this weekend creates flexibility for the sanctioning body. Melikuziev’s activity enables the WBA to announce Resendiz vs. Charlo first, especially if the winner agrees to face Melikuziev afterwards.
From a business standpoint, the fight is easy to finalize because both fighters are under the same promotional structure. From a sporting standpoint, Charlo gets an opportunity without beating a single top super middleweight.
This is the type of title shot that only becomes available when a fighter’s past reputation has more influence than his recent work.
