On the night of September 14th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Edgar Berlanga got his opportunity to chase greatness, but unfortunately for Berlanga, he met his goal as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39) shot short. KOs) retained his unified super-middleweight world title by unanimous decision.
Canelo was vintage Canelo as he displayed his usual formula of aggression, power, accuracy and good punch placement. His opponent, Edgar Berlanga, fought for 12 rounds, and he proved that he belongs in the ring fighting for the unified world title.
In July 2024, the official fight announcement was made regarding a Mexican Independence Day weekend clash between Canelo and Edgar Berlanga. Many fighters and boxing experts were not happy with the announcement.
At that particular time, boxing fans were still hopeful as it related to the sight of the long-awaited and highly anticipated clash between Canelo and David Benavidez. Instead of getting what they wanted, fans had to settle for what was given.
Edgar Berlanga was excited to get the opportunity, but he was disappointed by the disrespect he received. Fans expressed their thoughts via social media, talking about how Berlanga was a cherry pick destined to be knocked out.
On fight night in the opening round, Berlanga started the fight by using foot fins and throwing the jab. Canelo pressed forward for most of the first round, and his aggression allowed him to land some solid power punches.
In the second round, Canelo Alvarez landed a big left hook, but Edgar Berlanga responded by connecting with a solid right hand. With 1:57 left to go in the third, Canelo landed a devastating left hook that sent Berlanga to the canvas.
The 27-year-old Berlanga was able to get up, but as the match continued, Alvarez hit Berlanga with a flurry of shots. However, Berlanga showed an incredible chin as he absorbed the shots, fought back and weathered the storm.
Over the course of the next few rounds, Canelo continued to press forward, getting into his preferred range, and landing accurate power punches. In round 6, Canelo landed a big left hook, but Berlanga responded by connecting with a right hand.
In the second half of the unified super-middleweight championship fight, Canelo continued to dictate the action, but every time Canelo landed a shot, Berlanga tried to land a punch of his own.
At the end of the 12-round contest, Canelo Alvarez was declared the winner by unanimous decision. Edgar Berlanga was disappointed with the outcome of the fight, but he should be proud of the way he competed against a future Hall of Famer.
Edgar Berlanga showed ring IQ, incredible hit resistance, and he made an effort to do all the right things, like catch and block, and punch in between shots.
Berlanga lost, but thanks to that one fight he gained a ton of experience, and the effort he put forth Saturday night reignited his fan base. During the post-fight press conference, Berlanga compared his experience to what Canelo went through eleven years ago.
“Like I said man, he’s a legend, he fought Floyd Mayweather when he was young, and look who he became after that loss. I gained a lot of experience being in the ring with him. He’s a great fighter, but I know he knows I’m a future legend of this sport.”
Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) lost his 0, but due to his competitive performance, he gained respect, new fans and several opportunities. When Berlanga is ready to return to the ring, he has the option of challenging Jaime Munguia, Caleb Plant, or IBF champion William Scull.
