Troubled middleweight champion Jermall Charlo says he has been getting guidance from Roy Jones Jr.
The native of Houston, Texas, has not fought since June of 2021, when he won a decision against Juan Macias Montiel. Charlo has stated his inactivity stems from unresolved turbulence in his personal life.
In an interview taken from the NABF Convention in Orlando, Florida, Charlo spoke about recently pairing up with Jones in Florida and getting both life wisdom and boxing instruction from the Hall of Fame fighter.
Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) said his longtime head trainer, Ronnie Shields, helped make the connection.
“Ronnie Shields just kinda linked me up with Roy and his family,” Charlo told Robert Newman. “We all kicked it at the Spence[-Crawford] fight. It was just one of those things, ‘I’mma come and see you.’ We kicked it. I’m here, enjoying the weather, enjoying the workouts and picking his brain. He’s picking mine. Just to get away from distractions.
“He’s done a lot of difference in the way I think and the way I’m carrying things. It’s step by step, day by day. Roy Jones is mentoring me every step of the way. I’m enjoying it, I’m loving it. I’m feeling stronger feeling back to where I need to be, in a clear head space.”
Charlo, 33, still hopes to enter the ring by the end of the year but no date has been announced. Charlo is backed by Premier Boxing Champions, which showcases its fighters on Showtime.
“I took some time off to get myself better,” Charlo said. “I can’t say I’m quite fully there yet but I do want to fight before the end of the year. Everything going smooth. I had personal issues. I don’t really have to speak on it, y’all probably already know. Just had a couple of personal issues that I had to battle on my own and getting through them….It’s better than seeing me in mug shots every so often, getting in trouble with this and that. I couldn’t really focus on boxing. I had to take my time and get myself better.”
Sean Nam is the author of Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.