“Back to 147.. no time for all that waiting and talking,” Charlo wrote up. X. “I can actually confirm that since Jan 2024 I have asked to fight anyone who says they are the best at 154.”
The frustration didn’t appear overnight. After his reign at 154, the WBA declared Charlo a retired champion and scheduled him for a fight with the winner of Terence Crawford and Israel Madrimov. That road has not yet been opened. The division continued, and Charlo remained without a confirmed date or opponent.
Charlo turns 36 in May 2026. He has not fought since a one-sided twelve-round loss to Canelo Alvarez in September 2023. That fight was at super middleweight. His last win came in May 2022. Each month since then he has made it harder to sell alone.
From a business standpoint, the welterweight concept makes sense. At 154, Charlo held the belts with leverage. He entered the talks with authority. At 147, he arrived without one. The fighters who are attracted to that group are young, strong, and already set up for big fights.
If Riyadh Season wants a traditional American name, Charlo can enter discussions that include Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, or Conor Benn. Those fights still guarantee big bags. Without Saudi support, the financial situation is even thinner.
The problems start when the conversation turns to the body.
Charlo has not fought at welterweight since December 2009, when he faced Abdon Lozano at the start of his career. Doing 147 now is not guaranteed. The years at the height of the weight and the length of the rest turn the cut into a real test.
There is also the matter of expectations. If Charlo is looking for a big quick payday, he needs outside money. Saudi interest may be required. That’s a tough situation for a fighter coming off a clear losing streak, winless since 2022, and no immediate action to point to.
Charlo was hoping to secure a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. at 154. Nothing happened. Now he talks about starting again with a lower weight, with less control and less time.
The clock never stops. At 147, Charlo will enter someone else’s market. He’ll ask for a seat that’s already filled, and he can’t lose or look poor while doing it.