Jermall Charlo Shares His Struggles with Mental Health, 'Everybody's Expecting Greatness' | INTERVIEW

In a recent interview on the "I AM ATHLETE" show, boxing champion Jermall Charlo opened up about his current mental health journey. The conversation shed light on the pressures and struggles faced by athletes, particularly those in combat sports. Charlo expressed his thoughts on the misconceptions surrounding mental health and shared his personal experiences with real-life challenges.

Jermall Charlo began by addressing the common tendency to attribute mental health issues to every setback, emphasizing that his situation was not solely about mental health. He spoke about facing various difficulties in his life that affected him outside the boxing ring.

"I'm supposed to take care of my family, right? You know, when I'm not able to take care of my family, then what am I supposed to do? I'ma go hunt. I'm really a literal lion. I'ma go hunt. You know what I'm saying? I'm hunting," Charlo said.

"So, you know, but in the midst of, if you get injured in it, you got to take your time off, heal up and get yourself back together. And that's what I had to do. I rebuilt myself. I'm better now. I feel better now. I'm happier now."

The conversation took a deeper turn as Brandon Marshall discussed the societal expectations placed on men, particularly athletes, to remain unyielding. They highlighted the prevalent belief that showing vulnerability or taking a step back is a sign of weakness.

"I feel like us as men, especially hunters, we can't show no weakness. We can't take a step back. That's how we was trained," Marshall said. "I believe, it is okay for us to say nah, I need to take a beat, I need to take a year; I need to take two years, I need to take a month. I need to talk to my brother so I cry with my brother."

During the interview, Charlo expressed his gratitude for the genuine support he received from those who understood his journey.

"I'm thankful that y'all actually just realized that like people go through stuff ... we go through stuff sometimes," Charlo said.

"In my heart, I'm still a champ. I'm still champ of the world, but then you hit rock bottom. So you, like, you never know who for you or who know about it, who really understand it. Sometimes people closest to you, that really just don't understand."

Jermall Charlo acknowledged the difficulties in letting go of the expectations placed upon him as a champion. He admitted to having moments of weakness and feeling the weight of others' expectations.

"I'm a champ, and everybody's expecting greatness," Charlo said. "And then when my back against the wall, then I'm at my weakness, then is like everybody expecting greatness, but I have nothing to give you."

Jermall Charlo's candid conversation on mental health and personal struggles highlights the importance of destigmatizing these issues within the realm of sports. His openness serves as an inspiration to fellow athletes and fans, fostering a greater understanding of the complexities faced by those in the public eye. As Charlo continues on his journey, he remains committed to regaining his inner strength and returning to the ring, demonstrating that true champions also fight battles off-camera.