September 15, 2024
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez swang with ferocity, roared with intensity and flexed his superior talent to punish Edgar Berlanga with a full variety of powerful shots Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
In front of a sellout crowd of 20,312, Alvarez’s effort generated a second entertaining dismissal of a younger, stronger contender to retain the WBC, WBA and WBO super-middleweight belts after posting a similar one-knockdown unanimous-decision triumph in May over Jaime Munguia, also 27.
“Now what are they gonna say?” Alvarez said in the ring afterward. “They say I don't fight young fighters. They always talk. But I'm the best fighter in the world.”
Yet, it wasn’t the knockout finish he sought, and it left those who watched wondering whether the 34-year-old Alvarez will make a return trip up in weight for his ultimate fighting glory or if he’ll keep things light.
Instead of landing his desired 40th career knockout, Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) was left to declare contentment with a unanimous-decision victory over Brooklyn’s Berlanga (22-1) by scores of 117-110, 118-109, 118-109.
Yes, a third-round knockdown came when Mexico’s Alvarez sent a precise left hook to the chin, but as Berlanga sat there on the canvas banging his gloves together in disappointment, he chewed down on his mouthpiece, mulled the obligation of his Puerto Rican bloodlines and refused to go down again.
“I know I took his best shot in the third round and told myself I’m not meant to be down,” Berlanga said. “Got dropped, came back. That was the best he gave me, so I said, ‘You know what? I’ll go take his punches and return them.’”
Alvarez said he will take some time to relax with his family and then decide which path to pursue. The world's richest active fighter has a wealth of options.
He could connect with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh and move toward the powerbroker’s bout of choice against fellow four-division champion Terence Crawford, even though the competitiveness of that bout is suspect given that the 37-year-old Nebraskan would need to move up 14 pounds.
Although Crawford sat beside his benefactor Alalshikh and called out Alvarez from the comfort of their UFC Noche seats at The Sphere Saturday night, Alvarez refused to give them any attention after Alalshikh wrongly predicted his $20-plus-million backing of the UFC card would "eat" Alvarez's boxing card.
“No comment,” Alvarez said of the pair.
Alvarez could also choose from the unbeaten mandatory opponents at 168 pounds, Diego Pacheco, age 23, or Christian Mbilli.
Or, he may chase the stiffest tests of all and go after the new undisputed light-heavyweight champion, with Russia’s Dmitrii Bivol and Artur Beterbiev fighting for that crown Oct. 12 in Saudi Arabia, or perhaps revisit a showdown with unbeaten former 168-pound champion David Benavidez.
He won’t visit Saudi Arabia to watch Bivol-Berterbiev, calling it a “50-50 fight,” and preferring Bivol wins so he can consider a revenge fight following his 2022 decision loss to the unbeaten WBA champion.
Against Berlanga, the pair exchanged low punches in a couple rounds. On another occasion, Alvarez punched Berlanga in the head off a break after feeling he’d received a head butt. And the pair had to be separated by referee Harvey Dock for arguing over the physicality.
"I got a little angry with his tactics, but I'm Mexican, man,” Alvarez explained.
Overall, Alvarez assessed he didn’t feel a tinge of satisfaction stripped away because he didn’t get the finish.
“I’m very happy, I feel good. I did what I’m supposed to do: I won the fight,” he said. “I’m satisfied. It was a fun night, like another night at the office. I love boxing. You could see that tonight.”
When pressed about the missed knockout, he said, “What are 12 rounds for? For showing who is the best. I did that. The knockout is special. I did what I needed to win the fight.
“(Berlanga) didn’t fight like he used to fight. He defended himself a little more. That’s why what happened happened, but I did what I needed to win the fight.”
Alvarez trainer Eddy Reynoso declared the performance a success, in that Alvarez dealt with a younger, stronger, taller fighter with a greater reach and won by a wide margin.
“Canelo has come so far and he’ll go farther,” Reynoso said.
Alvarez said he has no immediate plans to fight is Saudi Arabia or London unless they “pay me more.”
Berlanga took solace in his effort, saying he was “50 per cent down and 50 per cent OK” because of the learning experience he gained, comparing it to the knowledge Alvarez gained in his 2013 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. at age 23.
“I went in there with a legend. I fought a hard fight. A guy like me – the whole world was against me – but I handled it well. That’s what Mexicans and Puerto Ricans do,” Berlanga said. “They thought I’d get knocked out in two or three rounds, but I went in there with a legend and shocked the world. It’s a stepping stone to greatness.”
Berlanga promoter Eddie Hearn’s company, Matchroom, has promoted Alvarez’s destructive triumphs of fighters including Billy Joe Saunders, Callum Smith and Avni Yildirim.
So watching Berlanga’s resistance was inspiring, Hearn said.
“The worry is you’re out of his depth. The rounds were competitive. The boxes he ticked: Impregnable chin that took every big shot from Canelo Alvarez ... ,” Hearn said. “He was never really hurt. He’s disappointed, but when he drops down a level – and every fighter who’s not Canelo is a drop down – he’s going to realize the wonderful experience he had tonight while securing his family’s future.
“I see him now at the top of the 168-pound division after Canelo.”
Berlanga manager Keith Connolly said he can anticipate future Berlanga bouts against Munguia, or Saturday undercard knockout winner Caleb Plant, a former 168-pound champion who got off the canvas to defeat Trevor McCumby.
“I put the whole 168-pound division on notice,” Berlanga said, admitting that Alvarez is “an idol to me… he’s the king.
“I didn’t want to tell him (before the fight). I didn’t want to tell anyone, because I thought they’d think I’d take a knee.”
He didn’t do that.
And because of that, the boxing world wonders what Alvarez will do now.
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