Jermell Charlo returns: looking for high-profile fight at 154

Jermell Charlo is coming out of his 15 month hibernation phase. He asks PBC to start a fight for him against the “best” they have at 154.

“Does it make sense”

They don’t have anyone at that weight to watch against former undisputed junior middleweight champion Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs). He says, “Makes sense,” which is code for Jermell’s desire for a massive payday for his return. That ship sailed a long time ago.

Jermell probably wants to be showered with enough wealth to buy the Beverly Hillbillies’ mansion in Bel Air, California.

It doesn’t seem likely, unless Turki Alashikh wants to use him for one of his cards to feed him. Serhii Bohachuk. It will be fun to watch.

It’s too late for Jermell to fight Terence Crawford. He’s hunting big game and trying to get a golden parachute retirement day against Canelo Alvarez. He will not waste time on a fighter who has no ambition and has been sitting on his bench for 15 months.

Charlo may have burned his bridges with the no-effort last time out against Canelo Alvarez, and he destroyed what little popularity he had after that by sitting on the shelf for over a year.

Jermell earned an estimated $20 million payday in that fight, which may explain why fans haven’t seen skin or hair of him since.

It is possible that PBC could negotiate a fight for Jermell against the newly crowned IBF 154-lb champion Bakram Murtazaliev. However, Charlo, 34, never showed interest in fighting Murtazaliev when he was his IBF mandatory, so it’s hard to see him agreeing to fight him now. If Charlo wants the fastest path to a world title. Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) would be the guy.

Charlo’s demands

“Premier Boxing, give me the best you have, or who you think can handle me at 154. Let the fans choose. Only Lions. Makes sense,” Jermell Charlo said on social media.

It would be brave of Charlo to challenge the undefeated Murtazaliev for his IBF belt, but it is unlikely to happen. That guy is too good.

Murtazaliev destroyed former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu by third-round knockout on October 19, dropping him four times in the fight. If he could do that against an active and still young Tszyu, you could only imagine what Murtazaliev would do to the ring-rusty old Jermell.

Jermell looked awful in his one-sided 12-round unanimous decision loss to Canelo Alvarez 15 months ago on September 30, 2023. Charlo didn’t even look like he was trying to win the fight as he moved around the ring and played it safe for 12 rounds. Many boxing fans believe that Jermell came for the payday and never intended to try to win.

The fact that Jermell hasn’t fought since that loss adds to the belief that it’s always been about the money for him.