To beat Canelo Alvarez, Edgar Berlanga says the jab is his ‘breadwinner’

Edgar Berlanga first made his name by showcasing his power, knocking out his first 16 opponents after turning pro.

But for Berlanga to have a chance of beating Canelo Alvarez in less than two weeks, his jab will be pivotal.

“This is going to be our breadwinner: the jab right here,” Berlanga said in a recent interview with Michael McCarthy, also known as Large of Barstool Sports. “To land a big punch, you got to set it up. Guys like him at that level, you can’t go out there and just try to throw bombs. He’s going to see it. He’s going to execute on that. So, it’s about setting up, being smart in that ring and having good discipline.”

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) complimented Canelo as having a “crazy” IQ and “great defense.” At the same time, Berlanga knows that power punches will still matter.

“He goes off respect, too,” Berlanga said. “If I’m over here pitty-patting him, he’s going to walk right through. I’m coming to fight, man. This is balls to the walls for me. This is the opportunity of a lifetime that I have to grasp towards.”

This is of course the biggest opportunity yet – and the toughest test – for Berlanga. After his knockout streak, Berlanga had five straight decision wins as he stepped up against, and was tested by, better opponents: Demond Nicholson, Marcelo Coceras, Steve Rolls, Roamer Alexis Angulo and Jason Quigley. In Berlanga’s last performance, he knocked Padraig McCrory out in six rounds.

Now he’s about to fight in a pay-per-view main event. Canelo vs. Berlanga is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The show will be available via Amazon’s Prime Video, DAZN, PPV.com and traditional cable and satellite outlets.

This is the kind of stage that Canelo’s long been used to. Berlanga will need to give himself the best chance while on this stage, and for potentially returning to it again.

“He’s a legend. He’s been in there with the best. So we have to minimize our mistakes,” Berlanga said. “Legends make mistakes, too. He can’t slip up either. I’m dangerous. Just like he’s dangerous, I’m dangerous, too. But with us, we’re minimizing a lot of mistakes that could happen Sept. 14 where he could try to execute on it, and we have to limit those open doors and keep them shut. At the end of the day, he’s been in there with the best, you know.”

Follow David Greisman on Twitter @FightingWords2. His book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.