Canelo-Berlanga is official + co-feature set

It’s official. Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez will put his unified WBC, WBA and WBO world titles on the line against undefeated WBA #1 mandatory contender Edgar Berlanga. The fight takes place on a September 14 Mexican Independence Day weekend pay-per-view show from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tickets go on sale next week.

Canelo Alvarez: “I am very happy for this fight between Mexico and Puerto Rico. It’s exciting to be part of another great Mexico vs. Puerto Rico battle inside the ring because historically we have always offered unforgettable fights full of passion. I am proud to contribute to this legacy and facing an opponent like Edgar Berlanga adds even more excitement and meaning to this event.”

Edgar Berlanga: “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I deserve to be here, and I’m going to shock the world and silence the critics by delivering a masterful performance and knocking out Canelo Álvarez on Sept. 14. I will prove that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from Gómez to Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I will reclaim what is rightfully ours!”

* * *

The co-main event will feature reigning WBA middleweight champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara against former two-division champion Danny “Swift” García.

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  • Such a weak double-bill, so gladthings like this can be watched for free now.

  • Where I live in SoCal, a lot of fight fans are willing to make the road trip to Vegas & pay whatever just to see Canelo fight. At least boxing fans know that it’ll be bombs away for Canelo vs. Berlanga.

    • Criminally inclined, arrogant Mexicants and Mexicant-“Americans” with a well earned sense of inferiority will always be willing to spend their hard stolen money to feel better about their ethnicity’s mass failures as a people and human beings by transposing those feelings onto any person, of the same ethnicity, who they consider “successful”.

        • It’s one thing to not be politically correct. It’s another to just say stupid shit and be so unaware and arrogant you spew it as truth.

          What’s so alarming is that many people liked this and share this view. They have no concept of how stupid they are.

          Honestly, the best advice you can give someone (not that they would take it) is to get help and not even in jest. It’s a person who really needs a lot of help figuring out the world and himself and not feeling so insecure and scared all the time. On a larger level it’s dangerous, but on an individual level, it’s sad.

        • What do you have to say about the points that he makes i.e. it is weak to stand behind ‘racism’ these days because we all have some level of preference for our race.

      • Such a stupid comment designed to make a point, but only designed to portray your distorted political views. Well then perhaps the same can be said about Americans spending ridiculous amounts for sports caps or jerseys so they can feel like in a way they’re an extension of that player or a member of the team. They are all just sports fans rooting for their favorites you ignoramus.

        • Right it’s so stupid on so many levels. Vague generalities applicable to literally any group, portrayed in a very biased, negative light to attempt to denigrate a people whose trajectory in this country has been overwhelmingly positive by any objective measure. Not to mention, immigrants generally commit crimes at a lower rate than natural born Americans. Our best schools are dominated by immigrants as well.

          The pitiful thing about people like this is they don’t see themselves at all. I mean the projection and irony of speaking of inferiority is rich. Only a person who is extremely insecure about his own position in life could make such a dumb comment with such arrogance.

          And I’m not a person who is very politically correct (I’ve already called this moron stupid many times). I’m all for truth even if it can upset people, but this does not bear a remote resemblance to reality.

      • Lol if it ain’t the other AKA “Juan Valdez” which is another foolish Alias.

        You must really hate Mexicans dude no doubt you were punked around by one or many! Maybe even made into the ladyboy that you are lol.

        Get a life loser and stick to your real love——>Mens figure skating!

      • This is such an ignorant and inaccurate comment. Mexican American incomes, wealth, and general status in US society have steadily grown. They are or will become the next middle class and better. I mean you may think that’s not the case, but it hardly matters.

        Also what do you say about so many Americans who worship sports teams? How is that any different? Or how many tribal Americans who blindly follow any number of celebrities.

        And Mexican is not an ethnicity btw. People so stupid and so arrogant are just dangerous.

        Plus you’re clearly a person whose vocabulary is not very good and has his own issues of inferiority about his lack of intelligence. This oozes projection and transference. For someone to so ignorantly and incorrectly attempt to classify any group of people (in such an obviously pseudo-intelligent manner) as such reflects much poorer on the individual doing the generalizing, not the people he thinks he’s insulting.

        Grow up. Seriously.

    • I agree with you Nordic. I’d rather see Canelo vs Benavidez yet i guarantee this will be tons more exciting that any dreadfully boring Shakur Stevenson fight..

  • Stylistically, this can be a very entertaining fight for as long as it lasts. I don’t see him defeating Canelo. I see Canelo dropping him a few times. But honestly I haven’t really studied berlanga like that but I’ve watched him fight. I’d have to assume that his skills wasn’t that special to me. I’m Puertorican originally from the BX. But I’m a boxing fan who roots for skills.. and I think Canelo got this. Also, I kinda want to see Bud/Canelo.. skill for skill.. I need to see it

    • Berlanga was brutally knocked out an amateur and has been on the canvas as a pro 2 times. Let’s see if Canelo can get a knockout win after winning his last 4 by Decision.

      • If Berlanga goes in looking for a KO he will get caught and find himself looking up at the lights. Berlanga is not a great boxer, puncher like that of Mayweather, Bivol, or GGG to do any serious damage to Canelo who has the best chin in the sport. Berlanga hasn’t fought any great opponents and been knocked down multiple times in his career against lesser competitors. I don’t expect this fight to go the distance. I have Canelo winning by stoppage.

  • This is just another boxing/alphabet organizations/canelo weakness travesty perpetrated by the crooks of we be corrupt, we be crap, and We Be taking your Change.

    • And canela actually thinks that he’s doing something good. Then he’ll try to tell people that he doesn’t bullsheet around…while that is all he does.

  • I wonder how much Berlanga will weigh on fight night?

    Anyhow, Canelo will win by TKO 11.

  • Nothing wrong of Canelo being afraid of David Benavidez. Not paying for this.

    • That’s all I hear about all the damn time by Benavidez fanboys that Canelo is ducking and excuse after excuse but You can’t deny that Benavidez refused to activate his mandatory status. No matter how you translate it he had an opportunity they even gave the man a 2 two week extensions and he didn’t activate. They removed Benavidez mandatory status as he’s staying at 175. Berlanga is also Canelo’s mandatory challenger. If you noticed he’s only defending 3 of the titles. The IBF might get stripped for not fighting his other mandatory challenger William Scull another nobody lol.

      • Yeah, right. Sampson Lewkowicz just petitioned the WBC before the Plant v Benavidez fight requesting that it order Canelo to fight the winner. That’s all they have to do. It was in the WBC’s corner to order the fight but of course they won’t and since Lewkowicz owes his start to the WBC head, his hands are tied. It’s not Benavidez’s fault but just the corruption that goes with boxing. That’s why the WBC was almost sued out of existence in 2003 and it still hasn’t learned anything. Most corrupt sanctioning body in the sport. Benavidez is stripped twice for crap outside the ring, and Canelo can sit on his title all day. Makes perfect sense.

    • You can’t fight someone that doesn’t want to fight you. Canelo has multiple mandatory challengers lined up Berlanga, Scull and Benavidez. Canelo might get stripped of the IBF title for passing up on Scull for his other mandatory challenger Berlanga. No matter how you look at it who was Canelo suppose to fight if Benavidez didn’t come back down to 168 and activate? We had two choices Scull or Berlanga. There are really not much left at 168.

      • Total crap Douglass. The public has been clamoring for this fight for years. Mandatory or not this fight should have happened already. It’s not like Benavidez was asking for some huge purse to take the fight. However Canelo takes in fighters like Mungia(punching bag former 154lb champ) Charlo who moved up two divisions. Canelo can’t do anything to hide the fact he isn’t interested in Benavidez. I hope the PPV tanks. There might be some stupid Mexicans and Ricans that will buy this trash. I hope they stay home and UFC bury his ass. You would think if he was going head to head with them he’d pick a credible opponent.

  • Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, along with the alphabetic sanctioning bodies, are the epitome of corruption. Why allow Alvarez to keep those belts, choosing only inferior opposition, while the real challenger is kept at bay by these corrupt organisms in order to protect him like a cash cow?

    • As long as novice fight fans keep paying to watch him, he’s going to milk it as long as he’s able to.

  • I was in attendance at Benavidez’s last two fights, and it is my opinion that Canelo would win if they ever do meet at 168. I really have no idea why Canelo just doesn’t fight Benavidez; I’m sure Turki would be willing to pay them both a lot of money.

    • I strongly believe that canela is avoiding Benavidez at all costs to keep milking the system. There’s going to be one day when he’s no longer able to milk it, that’s when he’s going to fight Benavidez or someone else that can beat him and use the excuse that he was past his prime.

    • If he thought he could beat him he would have fought him already. Actually I think he just doesn’t want to put in the effort it would take and the punishment he would have to take to win the fight. Only reason he fought Bivol was because Bivol isn’t a seek and destroy fighter and miscalculated Bivols boxing ability

  • Wow. This is just plain wrong. Way to go Ginger!! You know in your heart that there are 3-4 other fighters in that division you should fight. Stop being a baby about the Bivol fight. Everybody gets beat up know and then, it’s boxing you little diva. And that co-main, just plain sucks. Thanks again little red..

  • Canelo always makes excuses for a Benavidez fight, like “who has he fought.” Now he’s fighting Berlanga? I like Berlanga but he is not at Canelos level. Less and less respect for Canelo. Fight Morrel or Benavidez. He will retire without fighting those 2 guys.

  • These type of ripoffs show a lack of respect for the boxing industry.

  • “I will prove that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from Gómez to Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I will reclaim what is rightfully ours!” – so pathetic, this angle.

    Berlanga is not in Canelo’s league after padding his record with stiffs. He’s in for a rude awakening against Canelo, a great fighter and champion. Berlanga will try to unsuccessfully slug it out before running out of gas, and getting hammered to defeat.

    • whats funny about Lara until this past march he had NOT fought in almost 2 years and yet was never stripped of his alphabet soup belt yet the IBF continues to strip fighters after a month lol ok lets just replace the IBF with the IBO or more honorable organization at this point

  • And that co main? Don’t you think that fight is overdue by there to give years?

    • Dang, auto correct. Don’t you think this fight is overdue by three to five years?

  • I’d love to see Berlanga win, but I dont even think he has a punchers chance.

  • Canelo vs Berlanga isn’t that bad is it?

    If Benavidez is next in line, Berlanga is not an entirely wrong matchup to prepare with. Also think that Canelo deserves to be prepare for a big fight in the best possible way.

    Canelo is the favorite, no doubt, but Berlanga is not just someone you drive over. I even think it can be a surprisingly entertaining and perhaps a more even fight than many think.

    Benavidez deserves his ranking for sure, but for some reason, I’ve never really been impressed with him.

    We’re not there yet. First Berlanga, and I’m even looking forward to that fight.

    • No I don’t think it’s that bad. It has a lot of appeal. With the exception of Benavidez and Morrell, who are both on their way up to 175, Canelo vs anybody at 168 is a mismatch. At least Berlanga offers some excitement and some intrigue. They’re going to be riding on the whole Puerto Rican/Mexican rivalry as well. I mean, would you rather see Canelo fight Rocky Fielding or that Bazinyan guy from Canada? Berlanga brings little more spice to the table! One guy who could claim he’s more deserving of the opportunity is Christian Mbilli. He’s been fighting pretty much the same level of competition as Berlanga but more active and having a much easier time with them.

  • Once again how does Canelo even begin to justify Berlanga as an opponent over Benavidez??!! I just don’t get it!

  • Canelo hasn’t had a ko victory in a while! He’ll definately, break this streak against the weak berlanga! I just hope the fight or the unavoidable career ending ass whooping can last at least 8 rounds so, I can enjoy some brutal boxing for that long. On the undercard, lara vs garcia, a fight that should had been done 5 years don’t amaze me with garcia being out of the ring for a very long with mental issues. I hope this card don’t dissapoint at least!

  • such a disappointing match up plus the IBF aka money grab joke organization has apparently stripped Canelo for not fighting their supposed bum Skull or whoever just a trash backyard circus

  • I’m a Canelo fan but he’s been on a bum of he month tour as of late. His cognitive dissonance fans who refuse to acknowledge he’s avoiding top competition and support this garbage are the reason why he has no incentive to change. He snubbed Benavidez who earned a title shot by cleaning out the division. September and May and the big fight months and this is an insult. He is not the “face of boxing.” Not only did he snub Benavidez but he’s avoiding a Terrance Crawford showdown for a hypocritical reason. He says Crawford is too small and he will receive no credit yet he received all of the credit in the world for beating a smaller Charlo. Canelo vs Crawford is May or September would be huge. Deep down he knows it would be a dangerous fight so it will never happen.

  • If the promoters still want the audience to be awake for main event… maybe Lara vs. Garcia ain’t the best pick for the chief support.

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