Jermell Charlo has a major fight ahead of him against Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 30 as he challenges for the undisputed super middleweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Showtime pay-per-view.
But as he pumped up the big fight during a recent press conference in Los Angeles, a charged up Charlo instead chose to chastise Hall of Fame fighter turned ESPN color commentator Timothy Bradley for his latest remarks.
Bradley recently stated that he believes Terence Crawford would stop Jermell Charlo sooner than he did Errol Spence Jr. in July inside nine rounds.
“I think Tim Bradley got a lot of hate toward a lot of things. When you dare to be great right now, you can’t worry about what Tim Bradley is saying or how he thinks. He’s an ESPN analyst. He don’t even know sh!t about PBC boxing and what we possess over here. And that’s why [PBC head] Al [Haymon] got us. He signed us,” Charlo told BoxingScene.com and other media.
“Oh well, people are going to have their thoughts and say what they want to say. I have to go back and live my life and try to be that guy. I can’t be thinking about what [Bradley is] thinking. I have to stay focused on me and the game plan, and work my ass off dog.
“PBC is where it’s at. We’re the big leagues over here. You see everybody came over here now … all of those other promoters are little boys now.”
Bradley has openly backed Charlo in the past. The former two-division champion Bradley shared that if Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) climbs up two weight classes and beats Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs), he cements himself as a top pound-for-pound fighter.
Additionally, Bradley accurately predicted last year that Charlo would knockout Brian Castano.
Although Charlo chided Bradley, the historically spicy Houston native he’s been exclusively respectful with Alvarez throughout the promotion.
The 33-year-old Charlo shared why.
“I’m just me. I’m the same person that I am. I never change. I get respect when respect is given, too. I’m not going to be out here being stupid or irrational or dumb,” said Charlo.
“If some motherf—– talking sh!t like Tony Harrison was and being all crazy, then you are going to get that other Mell … What ya’ll want? [For me] to get stupid? The fight [against Alvarez] is going to sell by itself. We’re both undisputed champions. I don’t have to get stupid and talk all crazy and be unprofessional. I’m always going to be passionate. I’ve always been the villain in boxing. If I’m the villain, I’m the villain.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.