Promoter Oscar De La Hoya took a verbal shot at Edgar Berlanga on his Clap Back Thursday over him, claiming he has Puerto Rico behind him in his clash against Canelo Alvarez on September 14th.
Berlanga’s Heritage Claims Draw Criticism
Berlanga has been playing up the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico angle during the short promotion for the fight. He’s from New York, not Puerto Rico. De La Hoya says he’s more Puerto Rican than him because he lived there for six years.
Berlanga is proud of his heritage from the island, but he’s not from there. In De La Hoya’s eyes, he feels he shouldn’t be using that to promote the fight.
“Berlanga, who is fighting Canelo on September 14th. He claims he has a whole country behind him. Edgar, you’re from Brooklyn. I think I’m more Puerto Rican than you are, and I only lived there for six years. Puerto Rico doesn’t claim you, bro,” said De La Hoya on his ‘Clap Back Thursdays‘ commentary.
It would be better if Berlanga gave up on using ‘Mexico vs. Puerto Rico’ as a promotional gimmick to get more interest in his fight against Canelo because it gives the impression that he’s a poser. If you’re not from the country, using that place as the slogan looks wrong.
The Turki Alalshikh Factor
“As I said weeks ago, this fight will not do well on September 14th. Not only because the matchup is [just] play, but because they’re going up against the UFC’s debut at the Sphere in Las Vegas,” said De La Hoya.
Canelo picked the wrong opponent for him to go up against the UFC on September 14th because Berlanga isn’t popular outside of Brooklyn, New York. Alvarez needed someone like David Benavidez to compete with the UFC event on that night.
“Now, that’s a spectacle that everyone and their mother has been waiting to see since it opened up about a year ago. And who is funding it and making it all happen? Turki Alalshikh,” said De La Hoya.
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