On a bustling Tuesday, the boxing world prepped for the grand entrances of the undisputed super middleweight champion and one of the key pillars of boxing currently, Canelo Álvarez, and the undisputed junior middleweight champion, Jermell Charlo, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As with most big pay-per-view fight week events, the action starts on Tuesday with the fighters arriving at the MGM Grand ahead of their SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, September 30, at the T-Mobile Arena.
“I feel the love and support from my people and I’m proud to represent my country,” said Canelo, who spent his first training camp in Truckee, California. “I am 100% right now and ready to show you a different Canelo on Saturday. Charlo is a great fighter who knows how to box. He is strong and has nothing to lose. He came to my division to win it all. But I’ve been in this position for a long time and I’m ready.”
The selling point of the fight is Canelo and Charlo will be the first-ever showdown in the four-belt era featuring two reigning male undisputed champions. That being said, Charlo will lose his WBO junior middleweight title the minute the first bell rings, as the WBO has made this clear. The excitement around the fight is built around what version of Canelo exists now and the promise of an emerging American superstar in Charlo 'daring to be great.'
“These fans think Canelo is the best in the world, but I’m going to come here and show that I’m the best,” said Charlo. “I do this for the dogs, the hungry ones. I do it for the animals. I’m made for this. After I beat Canelo, the world will be screaming ‘Charlo, Charlo!’ You dig? Now it’s my turn, my time, my moment. I’m going to shine on Saturday night. We can’t talk about it; we have to be about it. Come fight night, you’ll all see what that means.”
Though it isn't the traditional Mexican Independence Day weekend of Canelo fights prior, the start of fall signaled a big fight at the MGM Grand. Canelo felt quite a bit of support as this will be his first fight in 2023 in the United States as his May fight against John Ryder was in Mexico. Charlo, fueled by his purpose, emphasized his hunger and determination, as despite being an undisputed world champion has been disrespected and not ranked by some pundits as a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter currently.
