Former unified welterweight champion says Canelo Alvarez’s pressure will be too much for Jermell Charlo

When Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo, it’s sure to be a spectacle. Canelo puts his undisputed super middleweight world titles on the line against 35-1-1 Charlo, who is stepping up in weight class.

Charlo is the clear underdog at +330, with Canelo coming in as a +420 favorite as of Tuesday. It’s not just the bettors who don’t think Charlo can win the fight. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman believes Canelo’s pressure will be too much for Charlo.

“(Charlo) is a good outside boxer. The only thing I question is the conditioning. Canelo has a thing where he’s just gonna keep (coming after you). It’s the Mexican fighter, it’s that pressure. Pressure, pressure, pressure.”

Keith Thurman says Canelo Alvarez’s pressure will be too much for Jermell CharloFight Hub TV / YouTube

In Canelo’s loss to Dmitry Bivol, it was Bivol who turned the pressure on Canelo, something that is rarely seen. Bivol’s conditioning was also top-notch, and it led to the Russian handing Alvarez his second-ever loss.

Thurman believes the way Charlo can sneak out a victory is to do what Bivol did: avoid getting punched by the still powerful Canelo.

“Outside boxing. Work your feint. Don’t over-exert yourself. Watch how Floyd beat him. Watch how Bivol beat him. You’re fighting a puncher. You still gotta respect Canelo’s power… and make the game plan to avoid it. To avoid it for how long? For the whole fight.”

Charlo is no slouch, having racked up 35 wins out of 37 fights. His most recent fight was an impressive knockout victory over Brian Castaño. Four out of Charlo’s last five fights have ended by way of a Charlo knockout.

Canelo rebounded from his loss to Bivol with two consecutive UD victories over Gennady Golovkin and John Ryder, but he has shown to be a bit more vulnerable than usual over his last three fights. That should make for a truly entertaining fight on September 30.