Another night, another big win for the sport’s biggest star.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez defended the Ring super middleweight championship for the eighth time in a twelve round unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga. Scores were 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110 for Alvarez in their PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View headliner Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“My experience, my talent, my hard work,” Alvarez said of the keys to his career-long success. at the highest level. “If you don’t have discipline and talent, you have nothing. You have to combine both.”
Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 knockouts) also defended his WBC, WBA and WBO titles. He set the tone early for what was to come throughout the night.
Berlanga was never a shrinking violet at any point in the fight. He was also quickly outmatched, outmatched and outboxed by the defending super middleweight king. Alvarez has already established his left hook, especially to the body. Berlanga’s best bet was his long jab of his five inch height and three inch reach advantage. It took a few laps to find the mark.
Any thoughts of Berlanga imposing his will went out the window in the second. The previously undefeated Nuyorican had his moments, but was also forced to close during back-to-back streaks.
Alvarez was warned after landing two shots on Berlanga’s back. Berlanga responded with a low blow, drawing the ire of referee Harvey Dock.
The lone takedown of the fight came midway through the third. Alvarez connected with a left hook that sent Berlanga to the canvas. Berlanga clenched his fists as if to motivate himself. He beat the score and made it out of the round, but had already fallen into a deep hole.
Momentum stayed with Alvarez, though he was the more marked of the two. Swelling developed under his left eye, while Berlanga barely looked like he was hit, despite the bump stats telling a very different story. Alvarez ended up landing 201-of-464 total punches (43.3%), including 133-of-271 power punches (49.1%).
In the fifth round, Alvarez connected with a right uppercut, followed by a left hook. Berlanga took the shot well and continued to trash talk the defending champion. Surprisingly, this was his only means of success on the night, as Alvarez admittedly got in his head.
“I admit I got a little angry,” Alvarez confessed. “I’m Mexican, man.”
Berlanga enjoyed by far his best round of the fight in the seventh. It was the only frame he claimed on all three scorecards, albeit one round later than his absurd knockout prediction. His jab found a consistent home for the first time in the fight and he was able to land several right hands over the top. Alvarez briefly took a step back, but never to the point of getting hurt, much less hitting the canvas.
The successful innings did not last long. Alvarez created greater separation between the two in the eighth and ninth rounds.
Berlanga was issued a harsh warning for leading with his head in the eighth. Alvarez was clearly frustrated by the performance as he answered with a right hand on the break. His right hand was constantly beating on Berlanga’s upper arm.
Both fighters were warned for illegal punches in the tenth. Berlanga connected with a right hand to the back of the head, while Alvarez threw again and landed as the two were separated. Berlanga landed a last ditch right hand midway through the round. He followed up with a left hook as Alvarez tried to respond with a combination.
Berlanga never disappeared, unlike Jermell Charlo who only fought to go the distance in this very venue 50 weeks ago. But he was also so far behind that he had no choice but to sell out if he wanted to win.
That moment never came, though Berlanga found a different approach. Alvarez grew frustrated with Berlanga’s antics to where he would hit at halftime and even walked away during one exchange. Berlanga made him pay with a left hook, although Alvarez’s granite chin helped him survive the moment.
The message was unequivocal in Berlanga’s corner heading into the final round. A knockout was needed but would never happen. Not on a weekend celebrating Mexico’s independence, a holiday Alvarez has been honored to represent throughout his Hall of Fame-guaranteed career.
Months of trash talk and twelve rounds of one-sided action finally ended with a hug and a conversation.
“I told him he was my idol,” Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) confessed after the first loss of his career.
The normally outspoken figure also expressed regret over elements of the build-up to Saturday’s main event.
“Fighters usually get that interaction . I felt quite bad that we had to give bad blood during the promotion.”
A big mouth helps sell an event. Great skills allow you to stay at the top of your game.
The return to this weekend was just Alvarez’s second since 2018, at a time when he set the date. All three of his fights with Gennadiy Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) took place at this venue and on this weekend, including their Sept. 2022 Trilogy Clash.
Next up for the four-division champion is a return to the other Mexico-themed weekend next Cinco de Mayo.
“” It means a lot. I feel great, feel grateful,” Alvarez said of these opportunities. “It is an honor to represent my people on Mexican Independence Day. (Vegas) is my second home, but Mexico is real home.”
However, Alvarez was noncommittal about who would man the opposite corner.
“I’m going to rest, I’m going to enjoy my family and then we’re going to decide,” Alvarez insisted.
The victory came four months after Alvarez outpointed compatriot Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs). He has held The Ring Championship and the WBC/WBA titles since a December 2020 win over Callum Smith. Eight defenses followed, including his November 2021 knockout win over Caleb Plant to fully unify the division.
Saturday’s main event only took place after Alvarez vacated the IBF title. He was mandated to face William Scull, but chose to go the WBA route instead, where Berlanga was to get a title shot as his No. 1 contender. This ended his undisputed championship streak after three successful defenses of all four major belts.
