On the night of September 14th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Edgar Berlanga received his opportunity to pursue greatness, but unfortunately for Berlanga, he fell short of his goal as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) retained his unified super-middleweight world title via unanimous decision.
Canelo was vintage Canelo, as he displayed his usual formula of aggression, power, accuracy, and good punch placement. His opponent, Edgar Berlanga, battled for 12 rounds, and he proved that he belonged in the ring fighting for the unified world title.
Back in July 2024 the official fight announcement was made in regards to a Mexican Independence Day weekend clash between Canelo and Edgar Berlanga. Many fight fans and boxing pundits were not happy with the announcement.
At that particular time, boxing fans were still hopeful as it relates to witnessing the long awaited and highly anticipated clash between Canelo and David Benavidez. Instead of getting what they wanted, fans had to settle for what was given.
Edgar Berlanga was excited about receiving the opportunity, but he was disappointed with the disrespect he received. Fans expressed their thoughts via social media and spoke about how Berlanga was a cherry pick who was destined to get knocked out.
On fight night in the opening round, Berlanga started the bout by using foot feints and throwing the jab. Canelo spent the majority of the first round pressing forward, and due to his aggression, he was able to land a couple of solid power shots.
In the second round, Canelo Alvarez landed a big left hook, but Edgar Berlanga responded by connecting with a solid right hand. With 1:57 left to go in the third, Canelo landed a devastating left hook that sent Berlanga down to the canvas.
The 27-year-old Berlanga was able to get up, but when the match continued, Alvarez hit Berlanga with a flurry of shots. However, Berlanga displayed an incredible chin as he absorbed the shots, fought back, and weathered the storm.
During the course of the next couple of rounds, Canelo continued to press forward, get into his preferred range, and land accurate power shots. In round 6, Canelo landed a big left hook, but Berlanga responded by connecting with the right hand.
In the second half of the unified super-middleweight championship bout, Canelo continued to dictate the action, but every time Canelo landed a shot, Berlanga attempted to land a punch of his own.
At the conclusion of the 12-round contest, Canelo Alvarez was declared the winner by way of unanimous decision. Edgar Berlanga was disappointed with the result of the fight, but he should be proud of the way he competed against a future Hall of Famer.
Edgar Berlanga showed ring IQ, incredible punch resistance, and he made an effort to do all of the correct things such as catching and countering, and punching in between the shots.
Berlanga lost, but thanks to that one fight, he gained a ton of experience, and the effort he displayed on Saturday night has re-energized his fan base. During the post-fight press conference, Berlanga compared his experience to the one Canelo went through eleven years ago.
“Like I said man, he’s a legend, he fought Floyd Mayweather when he was young, and look at who he became after that loss. I gained a lot of experience being in the ring with him. He’s a great fighter, but I know that he knows I’m a future legend of this sport.”
Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) lost his 0, but due to his competitive performance, he’s gained respect, new fans, and multiple opportunities. When Berlanga is ready to return to the ring, he has the option of fighting Jaime Munguia, Caleb Plant, or challenging IBF champion William Scull.
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