Author: Sean Close
“The depression, the confusion about yourself, the sudden change from hot to cold is shocking to you,” said WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo in an interview with the New York Post. “I think dealing with any kind of case of bipolar disorder and thinking that you’re alone, that you’re cutting off the world, can help. But talking to someone and understanding what you’re going through can help. You have to be able to overcome anything.” Charlo, who has been open about his struggle with mental illness, is now speaking out about the issues that have kept him out of the spotlight for nearly two years.
With his return match scheduled for this weekend against Jose Benavidez, Charlo seems ready to take on both the physical and mental challenges. “You feel like everyone is against you,” Charlo said. “I don’t care if you’re in an Uber, in a taxi, where you are, everyone is just against you. Why did I feel this way… against me? I couldn’t say that there are people out there, but that’s just how you feel at the moment and I pretty much just turned my back on the world. I needed to get help and it helped me has gotten much better.”
Now, fans are eager to see if the undefeated Charlo will be able to make a strong comeback without any adverse effects from his time away from the ring. Charlo, however, feels confident in his physical and mental readiness for Saturday’s match. “My patience is much higher now…I started reaching out and helping more than ever,” he said, expressing that he feels much improved. He emphasizes that he is not resorting to destructive behaviors such as drinking, substance abuse, or acting out aggressively to cope. ”
It seems that the revitalized Charlo will be stepping into the ring on Saturday night in Las Vegas. It remains to be seen whether he has maintained the skill and prowess of his previous undefeated record of 32-0. Yet perhaps these concerns are insignificant to the 33-year-old Texan.
“You have to learn patience,” he said. “One of the big things I learned from this two-year break is patience and just gratitude. I’m back and I’ve learned how to take better care of my body, both mentally and physically. . I feel like I’m back. My mind is in line with my physical ability and I’m rather in my prime.”
Charlo vs. Benavidez will be featured on the undercard of the Demetrius Andrade vs. David Benavidez fight, which will be broadcast live on Showtime pay-per-view on Saturday night.
