CANELO CAN WAIT

CHASING superstars can lead to dark horses being disregarded. For WBC middleweight belt-holder Jermall Charlo – a long-time suitor of both Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin – this weekend’s fight with Mexican puncher, Juan Macias Montiel, could yet be a case in point. It’s a fight he can’t just win. The burden of expectation dictates he must also dominate.

“The pressure’s on. I can’t look bad against a guy like Montiel because then the world is going to think that I’m not capable of fighting guys like Golovkin or Canelo,” Charlo tells. “One little mistake could be a major step down for me. I’m not saying that it’s something I’m thinking about but it’s a big risk to fight somebody who has nothing really to offer besides power. So I expect nothing less than him coming to bring war to me. It’s going to be a fight with fireworks. He’s a hard puncher and I’m a hard puncher myself. He has 22 knockouts, I have 22 knockouts. So, of course, I have to stand my ground and fight fire with fire.”