Fresh off elbow surgery and a two-year layoff, Jermall Charlo says the next 12 months are laid out: handle Thomas LaManna this Saturday in Las Vegas, settle unfinished business with Caleb Plant in the summer, then cash in on a super-fight with Canelo Álvarez in 2026.
Charlo insists the 168-pound division is now his permanent home. “I’m bigger now - my body isn’t making 160 again,” he told Fight Hub TV. The former two-weight champion returns on May 31 at Michelob Ultra Arena, where LaManna is expected to serve as a rust-shaking assignment. If both Charlo and Plant (who meets Armando Resendiz in the main event) come through, the longtime rivals have a handshake agreement to fight next.
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The 35-year-old Texan admits the clock is ticking. He turned down a Canelo offer in 2023 - his twin brother Jermell took the bout instead - and knows another opportunity may never come if he isn’t active. “I want to make tons of money and tons of wealth,” Charlo said, adding that he hopes Canelo remains in the sport after the Mexican’s September showdown with Terence Crawford.
First, though, Charlo must prove he still belongs among the elite. Two lengthy layoffs in four years have dulled his momentum, and another stumble could end the Canelo dream for good.
Don't miss Charlo vs. LaManna event.
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