Jermell Charlo claims fear is keeping the division away, but a three-year layoff gives contenders plenty of other excuses to move on. At 36, the former undisputed king at 154 pounds needs to prove his skills before writing off ignored calls as pure terror.
Charlo returns next month against Brock Jarvis on December 12th, ending a lengthy spell on the sidelines that dates back to his loss to Canelo Alvarez.
In his fight announcement, Charlo sounded off: “I appreciate Brock Jarvis stepping up, because a lot of these so-called top guys got cold feet. They use my name for clout but get quiet when it’s time to sign on that dotted line.”
Top fighters look for two things: belts or giant paydays. Jermell has neither. He holds no titles, brings no network backing that guarantees huge money, and carries a terrible track record for getting inside the ropes. Calling it fear is just marketing spin to mask the fact that to the rest of the boxing business, he simply is not worth the headache.
In any line of work, walking off the job for three years immediately raises red flags about your work ethic, hunger, and commitment.
If an applicant strolls back into the boardroom after three years on the be...