Jermall Charlo is set to join the Tszyu-Spence undercard in Australia, adding another marquee name to a July 26 event that is most likely to be staged in Sydney. No opponent has been announced yet, but an Australian fighter is expected to be matched with the 36-year-old unbeaten contender.
Ronnie Shields said on Friday morning that talks were underway with the people running the show about getting Charlo on the card, and that promoters at No Limit were still looking for a suitable local opponent. Shields said it was not certain yet, but that Charlo could wind up on the bill if the deal is finished in time.
Shields said he had just learned of the possibility and that Charlo had been training well for the last month. He also said there had been talk of sending him in August, but that he was pushing to have him fight in Australia instead. Charlo, who has campaigned recently at middleweight and super middleweight, enters with a 34-0 record and rankings of No. 4 with the WBA at super middleweight and No. 6 with the WBC.
The addition would also give the event another high-level training partner for Errol Spence, who is expected to arrive in Australia at least two weeks before the headliner. That creates a useful lift for a card that already carries outsized interest because of the Tszyu-Spence pairing and the history around the Charlo name.
Three years ago, Jermell Charlo walked away from a Las Vegas headliner against Tim Tszyu, and that feud has lingered in the background ever since. Jermall Charlo’s possible appearance adds a new layer to that storyline, even if the immediate business still comes down to whether the opponent can be locked in and the July 26 plan finalized. Shields said he had not spoken to anyone officially yet, but believed there was a chance the fight could be made.
