Bait and Switch: Charlo (Jermell) vs Canelo Alvarez RETRACTION POST

This poster floated around on social media yesterday and led to a lot of confusion. This also will lead to my first retraction post. In the effort to not be fake news or Russian disinformation I am setting the record straight and reporting what I am calling the “Charlo Bait and Switch”. I reported recently that Canelo signed with PBC and a fight with Jermall Charlo was set to go in September. Jermall the big Charlo twin passed and Jermell the small Charlo stepped in. Most fans reacted with confusion seeing the poster as it did not say which Charlo though most assumed it was Jermall since he was at middleweight but Jermall is not undisputed. I was not the biggest fan of the Jermall Charlo fight given the inactivity and the availability of fighters who I felt deserved it more. That said, I like this fight a lot less given Charlo is going up two divisions to fight Canelo who has competed as high as three classes above Jermell. I am mostly intrigued to see if Charlo can shock the world but I do not find that outcome very likely. I do credit Charlo massively for this big risk.

Angry Aussie fans and Tim Tszyu supporters are calling this a duck as Tim has earned his shot at the undisputed crown at 154 lbs. I cannot share that sentiment and find it idiotic to say the least. It is never a duck when a fighter skips a tough challenge to face a tougher fighter, at a higher weight, for more prestige and money. Charlo may very well be stripped of his WBO title but this is a bigger fight.

Below I will cite a few little man jumping two weights to beat the big man:

-Shane Mosley jumped from lightweight to welterweight, twelve pounds, to defeat Oscar De la Hoya.

-Manny Pacquiao made the same jump to also defeat Oscar at welterweight in addition to the many other weight classes he jumped.

-Not two weights but the weight jump was still big and that is Michael Spinks going up to heavyweight and defeating Larry Holmes.

I think there are a few similarities rooted in all of these fights to the one in question. I do not particularly love this fight but am compelled by the attempt of Charlo to try and pull this off and I will be rooting for him.