Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez does things in his own way in his own time. As the former undisputed super-middleweight boxing champion continues to be serenaded by a chorus of hardcore boxing fans who want him to fight David Benavidez or Terence Crawford, Álvarez, pictured left, chose World Boxing Council interim light heavyweight title holder Edgar Berlanga as his opponent as part of Mexican Independence Day celebrations. In order to fight the Brooklyn-born Nuyorican challenger, he had to give up one of his belts.
It’s a huge opportunity for Berlanga, who promises gladiator combat in the ring as he vies for Álvarez’s WBC, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization belts, as well as the championship awarded by boxing magazine The Ring. Álvarez was stripped of his International Boxing Federation title when a mandatory defense against No. 1 IBF contender William Scull remained unfulfilled by the time the Berlanga match was announced.
Berlanga successfully triggered Álvarez’s ire during the prefight Los Angeles press conference, albeit it in somewhat clumsy fashion. Berlanger started fighting at age 7, shortly before Álvarez followed in his older brothers’ footsteps and began compiling victories as an amateur in the mid-2000s. Like Cuba’s Scull, he’s undefeated with 17 knockouts in 22 professional fights, but relatively untested compared to Benavidez or Crawford.
This will be Álvarez’s 66th fight and 62nd victory if he prevails, which would statistically benefit his home country in the longstanding rivalry between fighters of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage. Berlanga has seven years less life experience than Álvarez but is nearly 6 inches taller and has a slight reach advantage. He fought as a super-middleweight in February, clocking Ireland’s Pádraig McCrory in the sixth round of their Orlando match.
Álvarez is another story. He’s Berlanga’s toughest—as well as most high-profile—opponent to date. Berlanga seemed chill during the press tour stop in his New York home territory but became belligerent in LA, promising to break the champion’s nose and repeatedly telling him to shut up while taking steps toward him.
“You have problems,” responded Álvarez. “You have so many problems. You are going to be in so much pain.”
Berlanga tried to bring Caleb Plant, who faces Trevor McCumby in the undercard in a match and was present at the LA press conference, into the mix. The unflappable Álvarez responded by assuring Plant that he’d finish the fight in the ring.
Álvarez’s feud with Saudi royal adviser Turki Alalshikh had been getting more attention before Berlanga’s provocations. Alalshikh, who likes to make things happen fast, wants Álvarez to fight Crawford or Benavidez pronto. Álvarez takes his time to make decisions about who would be the best adversary for a big fight event weekend in Las Vegas that can fill T-Mobile Arena.
Dubbed “The Chosen One,” Berlanga sees this fight as not just a shot at four titles but at immortality as well. He’d be the King of Puerto Rico, the birthplace of his parents. All he has to do is withstand Álvarez’s devastating liver punches.
T-Mobile Arena, 5 p.m. Sept. 14, starting at $305 plus tax and fee. axs.com
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