admin The bold, brash, bordering-on-belligerent Jermell Charlo that boxing fans used to hear and see leading up to his bouts is gone.
At 33 years old, with a résumé worthy of serious respect, the undisputed junior middleweight champion is no longer interested in wasting his breath barking at his haters or trying to rile up his opponent for the sake of promotion. Instead, a more mature and mellow Charlo only cares about one thing ahead of the biggest and most challenging fight of his life: earning a spot among boxing’s immortals. OK—and maybe also scoring a watch from James Harden.
It’s two days before his showdown with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, and Charlo’s on the phone from Las Vegas explaining that last bit—it turns out, he says, that the NBA superstar has snubbed him on multiple occasions. The Beard, of course, has a reputation of handing out extravagant gifts to his pals—including Charlo’s twin brother Jermall, the WBC middleweight champ. Whether it’s cash in a duffle bag or an absurdly expensive watch, Harden’s generosity always seems to miss Mell. And he feels a certain way about it.
“James Harden has done some crazy things for my twin brother every birthday,” says Charlo. “I’m like, Hey, I’m fighting Canelo and after I knock him out, I like Richard Milles and Rolexes, and I will continue to collect them, so don’t forget about the little twin. For two years, three years you’ve forgotten about me. I’m pretty sure he should be at this fight. I need a damn watch.”
On Saturday in Vegas (the PPV’s on Showtime), Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) will move up two weight classes in pursuit of the four belts Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) owns at 168 pounds. It’s an unprecedented showdown between two dudes who have cleared out their respective divisions. GQ caught up with Charlo to chat about the historical ramifications of the fight, separating himself from his twin brother, and the special Balenciaga gear you’ll see him rock on fight night.
GQ: During training camp, you said the vibe for this fight—in terms of your fit, watch, and jewelry choices—was going to be “elegance.” Is that still the vibe now that you’re in Vegas and it’s Fight Week?
Jermell Charlo: I think so. Like I said, it’s about elegance. It’s about moving into a new chapter. I don’t know if you were watching my grand arrival, but this fight gives me that vibe. I had an Omega Speedmaster with leather pants with the Balenciaga shirt with rhinestones on the back with combat boots. It’s like a season-changing (vibe) without the trench coat.
Since this is such a big fight, fans were treated to All Access leading up to it and we got to see you rocking Balenciaga while training. How deliberate of a flex was that?
It’s been cool because I’m a loyal guy, and I feel like when the first company or brand that decides to really rock with me, the heavy/long way, I get stuck. Balenciaga, I have great friends over there in Paris and I really understand the brand. I see the changes that they’re making. I’m a talent for them. It’s been an ongoing thing and it’s been amazing to be a part of some of their shows. All of these things have changed my nature toward fashion. I knew I was going to get into training camp and implement some of those things I love. They’re making me a 1-of-1 uniform from the Paris couture store. It’s pretty fire. My boxing uniform will be designer-created. I have so many items and pieces that I feel will be valuable later in life and I kinda like that essence of Balenciaga.
How hyped are you to wear that kit into the ring?
I’m super hyped about it. I can’t wait. It’s an amazing idea to bring Balenciaga into the sport. I know I’ve seen Louis Vuitton try to make boxing bags and handbags. But I’m going to try and see if one day I can bring boxing gloves, heavy bags, and different things of the boxing culture to Balenciaga and see if we can put that out to the world.
There hasn’t been much trash talk out of you or Canelo. You two have been pretty reverential toward each other. Frankly, the ferocity we’re used to seeing out of you is missing. What’s changed?
My patience has grown. I’m at a comfortable weight. I don’t gotta be hungry, starving, angry, hangry, any of those. So I’m more calm, relaxed, more in tune to the process and more in tune to the moment. We appreciate Canelo and what he’s done for boxing. I’ve been to a bunch of Canelo fights and that’s my get-away-from-home thing—go hang out in Las Vegas and go to a Canelo fight and get the crew together and that’s our socialization time. Now on this stage, when I get to be the one who gets to fight him, it’s kinda like, After watching all of these years, you’re up. Go enjoy the moment. Grab everything you can. The shit talking is not necessary and needed. We’re both accomplished. I guess if I was trying to become a world champion and I was a hot-head and he’s the one guy who’s avoided me and I’m feeling avoided, you’d talk a little shit. But I”ve never been avoided by Canelo. He moved up in weight and we did our thing. Only thing is I’ve always felt like I could beat him, always felt that I had something that maybe he hasn’t seen before or licks he hasn’t taken. So that’s why I feel highly grateful in this fight. There’s just no point in shit talking.
When you faced off and looked into Canelo’s eyes, what have you seen?
We here. It motivates me. It’s not necessarily you’re looking into his eyes—we’re not trying to have a battle, a war. I kinda don’t even think. I’m just there. If no words are being said, there’s no way I can just jump into his body and just read him through his eyes. There’s no gestures, nothing going on. It’s just a staredown. You can’t really judge it like that.
Obviously this opportunity is massive for you. Aside from the historical ramifications involved in this fight, how does your life change if you beat Canelo?
I become an all-time great. I feel like I’ll be known around the world for boxing—not just in America, but other countries. I feel like I’ll be sky-high. I’ll be one of the greatest to do it. A win over Canelo it’ll just give a lot of people more insight on me, to look into the career of Jermell Charlo and what I’ve done from the beginning to now. As they go through that process, they’ll become more of a fan and enjoy and love my career and how fascinating it was. A win does put me in the top pound-for-pound (rankings). It’ll also put me amongst the top greats from Floyd (Mayweather) to Terence Crawford to Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson and the Klitschkos.
What’s more important to you: the respect of your peers for taking on this challenge and winning or immortality?
The longevity. Peers come and go in life. You want something that’s stuck forever. When boxing’s over, you know, one thing they’re going to always say is that one cold boxer that used to box that was once that twin. Just achieving something for your friends and peers and they accept it in that moment, then a few months go by and other things have come in play in life, time goes on. Everybody gotta go back to work on Monday. One thing that will always be is if you’re a world champion and make the Hall of Fame.
Boxing fans know all about it, but for the casual fan, why is making the jump up to 168 pounds, from your normal fighting weight of 154 pounds, such a unique challenge?
Because it’s two weight divisions, and every weight division is more power and more this and more that, and it’s a challenge because they consider me the underdog and say I can’t handle it. Moving up to a higher weight category, taking on the heavier, stronger guy, just makes it even more a thrill to me.
During All Access, you dropped the line about wanting to separate yourself from your twin with a win over Canelo. If you follow boxing, then you know you’ve separated yourself résumé-wise from your brother. But I’m curious why you feel like you haven’t already done that.
It’s always going to be real hard having a twin. Everything he does in boxing or outside of boxing, I sometimes have to pay dividends for it. They think we’re together all the time. They think that’s the way I live. And separating myself is like people understanding my personality and what I like and what I stand for. He’s a completely different person. He lives his life. He might like slow cars that are luxurious, like a Rolls Royce. I’m the Lamborghini driver and I like fast cars, getting from point A to B, outrageously and spontaneously. Of course I’ve done that (in boxing), becoming an undisputed, unified champion. Now moving up two weight divisions. It might motivate him to catch me, but I feel like I’m leading by a long stretch right now because I became undisputed. But jumping up two weight classes to see who the dog in me is will separate us right there because they’ll see Jermell Charlo will take on any challenge. There’s no ducking or hiding in my world.
I know you two have had your ups and downs. Will we see your brother by your side fight night?
I don’t think so. I think he’s going to allow me to enjoy my moment and focus on the fight. I don’t know what’s to come for him. I try not to think about it, with him being around. Since we haven’t really been too close, called or communicated with me this whole camp, I don’t know if he just pop up, will it change my thoughts and my focus? I don’t know if I’m going to be in tune with that. He might be ringside.
A big fight like this is going to bring a lot of famous faces to the arena. What’s the star power going to be like ringside?
It’s going to be pretty intense. I know Mark Wahlberg, a good friend of mine, will be there. He also likes Canelo. Lil Wayne. There’s a lot of different people that like Canelo—like Chris Brown—who also likes Charlo. So many people are caught in-between the two. If you like boxing, you’re going to be there this weekend. From rappers to actors to comedians, this thing is going to be hot.
What’s the buzz like in the city right now?
I’ve been mostly in my room and the hotel and training and I haven’t went down The Strip one time. Usually when I do come, I’m shopping, I’m going places, I’m looking at billboards, I’m looking at signs. I do see it all over the MGM and I do think that’s pretty cool. But today is Thursday and a lot of people that are going to the fight this weekend are arriving today. I’ve been here since Monday and I’m like, ok, it’s about to start getting crazy. First time in my life having to go down back elevators and see the underground world of the MGM. I’m like, Where am I? And then I come out of a door and I’m in my room or at the parking garage. My life has been a complete blur. But I can feel (the buzz), I can sense it.
(Laughs) Yeah, he was like, “Hey, hey, hey! Why this guy talking to you?” Because I’m the undisputed champion at ‘54. You’re a hooper. You don’t know who I am? It was almost like having to break it down for James Harden. But James Harden’s from Houston—well, he’s not from Houston, but he played in Houston—and he’s my brother’s really good friend. Every birthday I have to tell James Harden, “Hey, I’m the other twin. You’re used to my twin brother.” Every fucking birthday James Harden comes to my brother and gives him $40, $50,000 in cash and just leaves it all floating around in a duffle bag with candy and bullshit. James Harden has done some crazy things for my twin brother every birthday. I’m like, Hey, I’m fighting Canelo, and after I knock him out, I like Richard Milles and Rolexes, and I will continue to collect them, so don’t forget about the little twin. For two years, three years you’ve forgotten about me. I’m pretty sure he should be at this fight. I need a damn watch.
