After months of jockeying and speculation over who would next face unified super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the fighter and his promoters confirmed Thursday that Alvarez will fight Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas.
Mexico’s Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) had been sizing up Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) for weeks, with an eye toward a high-profile Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry fight that could be staged on Mexican Independence Day weekend – which has become a staple on Alvarez’s annual fight calendar.
Despite the eagerness of David Benavidez, the longtime WBC super middleweight mandatory challenger, to fight Alvarez, as well as a dalliance with William Scull and several other possible options, Alvarez – for better or worse – chose Berlanga, now the WBA No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger.
“I am very happy for this fight between Mexico and Puerto Rico,” Alvarez said. “It’s exciting to be part of another great Mexico-versus-Puerto Rico battle inside the ring, because historically we have always offered unforgettable fights full of passion. I am proud to contribute to this legacy, and facing an opponent like Edgar Berlanga adds even more excitement and meaning to this event.”
Critics have panned Alvarez’s continued aversion to fighting Benavidez and disparaged Berlanga as a too-green opponent for Alvarez, a four-division champion and pound-for-pound fixture who, despite showing signs of slowing, remains one of boxing’s elite fighters at age 34.
Although Berlanga, 27, most recently aced his most difficult challenge to date, delivering a sixth-round knockout of Padraig McCrory in February, he has yet to face anyone remotely near Alvarez’s class. Ultimately, the allure of Berlanga’s power – he began his career with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts – and Puerto Rican heritage helped make him a bankable (and thus suitable) opponent for Alvarez.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Berlanga said. “I deserve to be here, and I’m going to shock the world and silence the critics by delivering a masterful performance and knocking out Canelo Álvarez on Sept. 14. I will prove that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from Gomez to Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I will reclaim what is rightfully ours. I’m ready to make this a historic firefight, continuing the greatest rivalry in boxing: Puerto Rico vs Mexico.”
The fight, set for Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena – where Alvarez has fought on nine occasions, including in four of his last five bouts – will headline a PBC PPV event on Prime Video. In the co-main event, Cuba’s Erislandy Lara will defend his middleweight title against Puerto’s Rico’s former two-division titleholder Danny Swift in a 12-round fight.
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