IF we count the points from the pre-fight shenanigans of Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga, then the Mexican is still ahead, and it’s not even halftime.
The top two met in Beverly Hills yesterday to promote their fight that will take place on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Berlanga brought his Puerto Rican pride and a mixture of bullishness and courage that tried his best to solve the undisputed number one category of 12 stones.
Canelo would be content to fulfill his media obligations with Berlanga with respect and dignity before settling his business in the ring and sharing a hug afterward. Berlanga doesn’t want that, though. The 34-year-old champion laughed off his attempts to intimidate a man seven years older than him and nearly three times older.
“He hit like my son,” said Canelo in a press conference yesterday. This answer came after Berlanga was lashing out. His revenge speeches were X-rated, proving that Canelo is strong, and not just in the ring.
Canelo then predicted that he would defeat his latest opponent in eight rounds.
“I will have no mercy,” he said.
He wasn’t short of cursing either and was happy to join Berlanga’s silly games. The truth is that Berlanga was laughed at. These were moments that would have been overlooked if you were part of his team. Because, the truth is that the 27-year-old is one of the weakest challengers to get a chance to face Canelo and make millions in the process.
“I don’t want to fire you right now because your money will be gone,” added the master.
Berlanga can’t be blamed for getting a fight coming his way. His work is divided into two stories. The first is for a young, talented Puerto Rican knockout whose first 15 opponents never made it past the second round. The second is for a striker who has gone the distance six times in his last seven fights when the competition has been promoted – but not at a level that can be described as world-class.
Six months ago, Berlanga finished his second successive Irish opponent – Padraig McCrory – in the sixth round. It didn’t take long before Berlanga became a WBA must-win for Canelo’s world title. Another win for how boxing ranks work.
Canelo is also innocent. Of course, he is obliged to fulfill his obligations and was stripped of the IBF world title instead of facing the mandatory challenger, William Scull. Berlanga got the nod because, at the very least, he’ll do more pay-per-view numbers and revive the historic Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry that we’ll all be reminded of on the airwaves in the days and weeks to come.
No one wanted to see or fight. What they want is what they won’t get, and that’s Canelo vs. David Benavidez—a fight the Mexican won’t enjoy unless he’s paid $200 million. Canelo cites the weight advantage Benavidez would have coming into the fight as a risk—in his eyes—and views the star count as a worthy reward.
Come September 14, when Canelo puts his three world titles on the line, there will be little risk. The pundits will be reduced to saying, “All it takes is one hit” and the onlookers can find something to post on social media.
Yesterday Canelo played Berlanga who is inexperienced and made him look like a fool and in more than five weeks he will do the same if the names are changed by boxers.
Source link
