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After Canelo Alvarez, Who Is Jermell Charlo Likely To Call Out Next: Terence Crawford, Caleb Plant, or David Benavidez?

Published 09/27/2023, 7:29 PM EDT

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The boxing world is buzzing as the showdown between Jermell Charlo and Canelo Alvarez inches closer. As expected, the chatter around their skills and predictions has engulfed the fight taking place on September 30. While many have already picked sides, few are seeing the larger picture. What’s next after the once-in-a-lifetime undisputed vs. undisputed clash? Who will Charlo pick if he sends the Mexican fighter to the canvas?

‘Iron Man’ will suffer from a problem of plenty as he chases greatness. The American fighter can restore the Charlo family’s honor and avenge his elder twin’s reputation by fighting Caleb Plant. Who doesn’t like the hot spice of family revenge in the storyline? If that’s not enticing enough, a probable fight with David Benavidez is also on the cards. Or he can just finish what Terence Crawford started when he registered his presence in the stands during the Errol Spence Jr. fight.

Jermell Charlo is most likely to call out his rival Terence Crawford: Why?

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The short answer is shared bad blood and a shot at cementing their legacies. The two exchanged heated words despite being on different sides of the ropes. Charlo has been on Crawford’s mind for as long as the latter seeks credit from the fans and pundits. While ‘Bud’ believes he might receive recognition only after he hangs up his gloves, he is ready to hunt for “bigger and better opportunities”. And Charlo indeed fits the bill.

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“You gonna be just like that. You’re going to be next!” Crawford gestured to Charlo in the audience and specified his intent to go for the 154-lb titles. The 35-year-old later explained his actions and told Hot 97, “I gave him a little piece of mind… I just thought to let him know that I’m coming for him, too.”

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However, the action won’t go down at the familiar 147-lb division, as Crawford has spelled out his desire to move up and become the undisputed champion in a new division. During the post-fight conference, he declared, “I’m in the hurt business. 47 was kind of hard for me too. I was already talking about moving up in weight and challenging [Jermell] Charlo. So 54 wouldn’t be out of reach of anything.”

The idea has received backing from Shakur Stevenson, who holds Crawford in high regard. The featherweight boxer is ready to put his chips on him, even if Crawford is facing Alvarez. Additionally, he would like Crawford to go toe-to-toe against the winner of Canelo and Charlo.

While Crawford has Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis waiting for a title shot, he is ready to look past him for a fight against Charlo. “That could happen because we’re at the same weight class. But at this point in time, I’m looking for bigger & better opportunities, like [Jermell] Charlo,” he suggested to HOT 97. After all, the Charlo fight ticks two boxes for him: lucrative money and a legacy.

Meanwhile, Charlo has two mouth-watering bouts waiting at 168 lbs too if he eases past Alvarez and stamps his name to greatness. The wheel of fights will keep on rolling, and Crawford might miss the train if he fails to hop on the 168-lb division station.

David Benavidez and Caleb Plant are also on the list

Charlo laid bare his future boxing plan in a conversation with Fighthype. The plan is simple: Snatch Alvarez’s belts and then brush aside David Benavidez, followed by Caleb Plant, and also throw Crawford in the mix.

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“Then I take his belts, and then I got to fight the ‘Mexican monster’ [David Benavidez]. And I got to fight the Caleb Plants, and I got to fight all the big boys, right? I got the little short Omaha [Terence Crawford],” Charlo disclosed. Therefore, all the exciting action will go down in the super middleweight division, and everyone will want a piece of Charlo.

Currently, there are too many ifs involved. Will Charlo defeat Alvarez? Will Crawford finally move up and take on the winner of Canelo-Charlo? What happens to Ennis, then? And where does it all leave Benavidez, who has been searching for a fight with Alvarez in the squared circle for over five years now? It all untangles on September 30 inside the T-Mobile Arena.

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Who do you think lies ahead for Jermell Charlo after the Canelo Alvarez fight? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Everything We Know So Far About Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo

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Written by:

Rohit Lohan

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Rohit Lohan is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports, with a passion for the sport that has spanned over a decade. His fascination with MMA stems from the thrill of knockouts, and he strives to bring that same level of excitement to his writing. Rohit's love for gripping stories is reflected in his articles, where he masterfully weaves together the latest news with compelling narratives.
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Edited by:

Arijit Saha