‘The Clones Cyclone’ Barry McGuigan has shared his opinion, that the # 1 mandatory challenger to the 160 lbs WBC world title, Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) is the biggest threat to the rarefied air of the middleweight division.
Those positions being occupied by Lineal world middleweight champion, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and unified WBC, WBA, IBF & IBO divisional kingpin Gennady Golovkin.
Jermall Charlo who should not to be confused with his twin brother Jermell, who is the current undefeated WBC jr middleweight world title.
Jermall Charlo previously also held a world jr middleweight title, ‘The Hitman’ made three defences of that IBF jr-middleweight title. Charlo then decided to relinquish that title to move up and campaign at the middleweight limit of 160 lbs.
In his first fight, he was ordered to fight the WBC mandatory challenger, Jorge Sebastian Heiland in a final eliminator bout for a shot at Golovkin’s crown.
Charlo dispatched Heiland inside of four rounds in their meeting in late July to earn his spot as the number ranked challenger for the WBC.
Billy Joe Saunders, is fresh off the back of a dominating and one-sided schooling of David Lemieux. The Canadian former IBF world middleweight champion was arguably whitewashed twelve rounds to zip.
Following that fight, ‘The Superb’ Saunders made clear that his intentions are to take on knockout sensation Gennady Golovkin.
“At middleweight we await news of the Gennady Golovkin – Saul Alvarez rematch. With Billy Joe Saunders ready to challenge the winner after his stunning WBO title defence against David Lemieux in Montreal,” McGuigan began by telling The Mirror.
Summing up his recollections of Saunders recent performance. McGuigan noted that ‘clever movement’ allowed Saunders to totally seize a foothold in the fight.
Additionally, McGuigan added that he perhaps overrated Lemieux going into the fight.
“Saunders defused the punching threat of Lemieux with his clever movement. I underestimated him as much as I overstated the potential of Lemieux.”
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McGuigan was quick to add, that Saunders should be under no illusions that it will just as easy against the division’s top fighters.
McGuigan noted that when Golovkin and Alvarez let the big punches fly. They are usually right on their mark.
“But Golovkin and Alvarez are different gravy. Capable of hunting down and they don’t miss with the big shots like Lemieux did.”
“Though Saunders has earned his shot at the big show. The biggest threat to the ruling middleweight class could be the dangerous Jermall Charlo who has moved up from 154 to 160 pounds,” McGuigan concluded.
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