Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo prediction from B-Hop
Bernard Hopkins has given his thoughts on Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo.
Later this month, the Mexican superstar will return to the ring to face 'Iron Man'. The two will headline a Showtime pay-per-view offering in a historic matchup. Their bout will be the first time in boxing history that two male undisputed champions face off.
As of now, the super-middleweight champion is widely expected to win. It makes sense, given Alvarez's dominance, Charlo's inactivity, and the fact that he's heading up not one but two weight classes. That being said, he does have an ally in the form of Bernard Hopkins.
Meanwhile, 'B-Hop' previewed the fight in a recent interview with Fight Hub TV. There, Hopkins stated that he is giving Jermell Charlo over an 85% chance to defeat Canelo Alvarez later this month. The former champion explained that the challenger's mentality plays a massive role.
Hopkins believes Charlo will head in there and try to make a statement to the Mexican star early. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, the legend said:
"[Charlo] has a legitimate chance. He has an 85% plus chance of beating Canelo. Why? Because, to my understanding, he’s not going in there to prove something, which would fall into Canelo’s hands. But he’s going to go in there and let him know, establish in the first round. That he belongs, he’s tough and he’s going to show him that his time came and gone. Canelo has to be shown that he has slowed up. He ain’t gonna surrender and think, “I’ve slowed up so I’ll act like it. He has to be shown, and that has to be early."
Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Current Betting Odds
Bernard Hopkins seemingly disagrees with the odds for Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo.
'B-Hop' believes the light-middleweight champion will likely be able to pull off the upset later this month. Charlo himself is confident and has slammed the media for doubting him in the build-up to the bout.
However, it's much more than just the media riding with Canelo Alvarez. According to the latest FanDuel MMA odds, the Mexican superstar is currently a -350 favorite, and 'Iron Man' returns as a +275 underdog.
While the odds will likely get closer as we get closer to fight night, it's clear fans and bettors are riding with Alvarez. However, Hopkins and others believe that September 30 will be the beginning of the end for the Mexican boxer.