Trainer Teofimo Lopez Sr. feels that Edgar Berlanga needs to “go for broke” immediately against Canelo Alvarez from the first round to have a chance of winning in their fight on September 14th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
(Credit: Esther Lin/Premier Boxing Champions)
Lopez Sr.’s Concerns About Berlanga’s Readiness
Lopez Sr. thinks it’s too early in the career of the 27-year-old Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) to be taking this fight against WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight champion Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs), but the moment is here anyway. He’s got to try his best and only gas a puncher’s chance.
Berlanga lacks the needed experience to have a good chance, and his promoters at Top Rank and Matchroom have not helped him by giving him the right guys who would improve him.
Some fans believe there was never any intention of trying to improve Berlanga. It was more a case of building a glittering record to get the biggest money fight possible against Canelo or another popular fighter and then picking up the pieces later when he was exposed.
“I got nothing against Berlanga, but I feel this fight is just too fast for him. I think he should have waited a couple of years. There’s not stopping Canelo right now,” said Teofimo Lopez Sr. to Fight Hub, giving his thoughts on the September 14th fight between Edgar Berlanga and Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.
A Protective Matchmaking Strategy
With thew way that Berlanga’s management has matched him, I don’t know that he would be ever be ready for Canelo or any top-of-the-line fighter during his career. He’s been matched in a protective way that suggests that they knew what they had in him, and were just going to keep him away from even semi-quality fighters until they got the Canelo cash out.
After he loses to Canelo, they’ll repeat the process of matching him against D-level fighters, hoping they can get either a rematch in two to three years or the best-paying fight they can get. In other words, Berlanga isn’t a serious fighter and was never intended to be. He’s a money-maker who is protected and ramped up with easy wins over lesser opposition.
Berlanga’s Only Hope: Going For Broke
“Berlanga has got to go in there for broke, do what he says he was going to do,” said Lopez Sr., believing that Berlanga must come in swinging for the fences from round one, looking to KO Canelo immediately. “Every fighter has a puncher’s chance.
“He needs to go in there for broke. You cannot try and outbox Canelo. Canelo knows how to cut the ring really good. Those body shots are devasting. I think the best man that night is going to be Canelo,” said Teofimo Sr.
Berlanga is too poor to try and outbox Canelo, and I don’t think he’s crazy enough to try that approach because he knows what will happen.
“I think the best chance Berlanga has got is to come in strong, come in hard, and be that monster he used to be back in the day. That’s the only hope I give him. Do I believe he’s going to win? I doubt it, but every man has a chance. I want to see Berlanga going in there not respecting Canelo and doing his work,” said Lopez Sr.
Berlanga looks so utterly awful in his recent fights against Padraig McCrory. Jason Quigley and Roamer Alexis Angulo that it probably won’t help him if he goes all out from the opening round. He’s too flawed and doesn’t belong in the ring with a fighter like Canelo.
“My prediction is, it’s not going to go past seven rounds. Canelo by knockout,” said Lopez Sr.
Canelo can knock out Berlanga quickly if he pushes, but he may take his time and slowly break him down unless he turns it into a war. If Berlanga rushes it, Canelo will knock him out within three rounds.
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