Edgar Berlanga can win on Saturday night time if he can observe Dmitry Bivol’s blueprint for defeating Canelo Alvarez with high-volume punching. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has by no means been often known as a fighter who throws quite a lot of punches, however his staff has studied Canelo’s loss to Bivol, and so they’ll observe his method.
Berlanga raved about Bivol’s jabs in his win over Canelo in 2022, which he’s prone to attempt to mimic. Nonetheless, he doesn’t have the fuel tank to throw the variety of photographs that Bivol threw in opposition to Canelo.
“It’s harmful as a result of, in my view, you must be lively within the struggle as a result of Canelo’s output isn’t that nice,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, discussing how Edgar Berlanga can doubtlessly defeat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.
“For those who return to the Bivol efficiency. What he did so nicely [against Canelo] was his output was glorious. The punches in bunches, the all the time keen to throw and to shoeshine with 20 seconds to go to win these rounds.
“You possibly can win rounds with Canelo Alvarez, however on the similar time, the extra lively you might be, the extra you’re placing your self underneath stress to be counted or stand in vary. So, you’ve received to be sensible with it as nicely.
“I maintain listening to folks say, ‘He’s [Canelo] not been stopped,’ and ‘He’s not been down.’ So what? What are you going to do? ‘Oh nicely, we’ll neglect about that tactic. Edgar is among the greatest punchers on the earth at 168. There’s little doubt about that.
“Can he harm Canelo? All people will be harm, particularly whenever you get to the again finish of your profession, however you’ve received to try to put a dent on this man,” mentioned Hearn. “That’s simpler mentioned than carried out. I wouldn’t be stunned if Edgar and the staff determined to field slightly and attempt to win a few of these early rounds.”
Canelo will be harm, however you’ve received to hit him exhausting or throw a flurry of photographs like Jose Miguel Cotto did when he had Alvarez harm.
“What you actually need to do is get by that midway stage within the struggle, having banked some rounds as a result of he can swap off slightly at instances, Canelo, particularly down the straight. Within the John Ryder struggle the place he thought he was dominating, after which hastily, he can come again and lose rounds,” mentioned Hearn.
Profitable early rounds in opposition to Canelo isn’t any assure that Berlanga will struggle nicely sufficient to win the later rounds and get a call. If something, Canelo will struggle more durable if he loses the early rounds, and that will be dangerous for Berlanga.
