Boxing’s worst-kept secret is now a confirmed actuality.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has finalized phrases for his RING and fully-unified (for now) 168-pound championship title protection versus Edgar Berlanga. Their bout will headline a Sept. 14 PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View occasion from T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas.
DAZN and PPV.com will even carry the cardboard, which is able to see Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) restore a previous custom. The combating pleasure of Guadalajara, Mexico headlines a Mexican Independence Day-themed card for the eighth time in his storied profession.
This 12 months’s version supplies the most recent chapter in a long-standing boxing rivalry.
“I’m very completely satisfied for this combat between Mexico and Puerto Rico,” stated Álvarez. “It’s thrilling to be a part of one other nice Mexico vs. Puerto Rico battle contained in the ring as a result of traditionally we now have all the time provided unforgettable fights filled with ardour. I’m proud to contribute to this legacy and dealing with an opponent like Edgar Berlanga provides much more pleasure and that means to this occasion.”
Alvarez, No. 4 pound-for-pound, makes an attempt the eighth protection of his Ring tremendous middleweight championship and at the least two main titles. He’s the present undisputed 168-pound king, although his IBF title is not going to be at stake for this occasion resulting from an unfulfilled necessary dedication.
Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), No. 9 at 168, earned the title shot the WBA necessary challenger. The undefeated NuyoRican from Brooklyn, New York stopped Padraig McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs on the time) within the sixth spherical of a Feb. 24 DAZN present in Orlando, Florida.
It was all the time believed that he would get a shot at Alvarez, to the purpose the place he was within the working for the Might 4 date at T-Cell Enviornment. Alvarez as an alternative confronted countryman Jaime Munguia (43-0 on the time), whom he defeated through twelve-round, unanimous resolution.
Ever the soldier, Berlanga didn’t trouble with an aggressive pursuit of Alvarez. He merely waited out his flip, assured that his quantity can be referred to as.
“That is the chance of a lifetime,” famous Berlanga. “I need to be right here, and I’m going to shock the world and silence the critics by delivering a masterful efficiency and knocking out Canelo Álvarez on Sept. 14. I’ll show that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from Gómez to Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I’ll reclaim what’s rightfully ours.
“I’m able to make this a historic firefight, persevering with the best rivalry in boxing: Puerto Rico vs Mexico. Vamos arriba, puñeta!”
Berlanga’s staff is totally alongside for the trip, to the purpose of DAZN being concerned in a PBC occasion for the second straight time. DAZN carried the Alvarez-Munguia PPV occasion which was primarily offered by PBC on Prime.
“I’m excited for my man, Edgar Berlanga, to get a shot on the king of boxing Canelo Álvarez,” stated Keith Connolly, the sport’s premier supervisor who has expertly guided Berlanga. “I need to thank all of the gamers concerned in serving to me get this deal over the road. Canelo vs. Berlanga is renewing the Mexico vs Puerto Rico rivalry, which is one of the best in boxing historical past.”
Added Eddie Hearn, Berlanga’s promoter and chairman of Matchroom Boxing: “Edgar Berlanga’s nickname is the Chosen One and I’m so completely satisfied he bought the golden decide for Sept. 14. That is the combat we dreamed about once we signed Edgar final 12 months and he is able to give all the pieces for himself, his household and for Puerto Rico.
“You could have a younger, unbeaten, fearless puncher able to deal with one of many all-time greats – prepare for drama in Las Vegas!”
Naturally, the opposite aspect has their very own plans.
“Day by day we’re making ready,” stated Eddy Reynoso, Canelo’s supervisor and coach. “We all know that Berlanga is an effective fighter, a powerful, undefeated fighter. The confrontations inside boxing between Mexico and Puerto Rico are all the time intense fights, very morbid fights and, above all, excellent boxing. Puerto Rico has produced many world champions and corridor of fame fighters. Mexico has accomplished the identical.
“It’ll be a really enticing combat towards a terrific fighter in Berlanga who’s undefeated and confronted a number of the finest fighters competing at 168 kilos over the previous couple of years.”
The present will even embrace a WBA middleweight title combat between defending titlist Erislandy Lara and former two-division champ Danny Garcia.
“Mexican Independence Day weekend is synonymous with huge Canelo Álvarez fights,” stated Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Sept. 14 would be the subsequent chapter of that historic story. Canelo has lengthy reigned because the 168-pound king and can put his three unified world titles up towards a younger, power-punching contender in Edgar Berlanga as he seems to as soon as once more rating a victory for his dwelling nation within the storied rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico.
“With the addition of the Erislandy Lara vs. Danny García world championship battle within the co-main occasion, plus extra matchups to return, all the pieces traces up for an occasion worthy of the vacation weekend reside from T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas in one other stacked PBC Pay-Per-View on Prime Video.”
Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) will try the second protection of his WBA 160-pound belt.
The Ring’s No. 4-rated middleweight gained a daily model of the title in a Might 2021 first spherical knockout of Thomas ‘Cornflake’ Lamanna. He was elevated to full champ when Gennadiy Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) refused to maneuver ahead with an ordered title consolidation conflict.
Lara, a former 154-pound titlist as properly, added a second-round knockout of Australia’s Michael Zerafa on the March 30 PBC on Prime PPV occasion at T-Cell Enviornment. The Cuban export now revisits very outdated plans to face a possible future Corridor of Famer.
“My combat with Danny García will likely be a traditional battle between two legendary fighters of our period,” stated Lara. “We’ve each confronted one of the best, have spectacular resumes and have competed on the prime stage for a very long time. I’m excited for this combat. I encourage all my Mexican followers to tune in on Mexican Independence Day, carry your flags and help this nice occasion. I’ll symbolize not solely Cuba, but additionally Mexico on this present day towards Puerto Rico.
“I look ahead to placing on a present and being the primary to knock out Danny García. This will likely be an epic showdown!”
Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs), 36, goals to impress within the twilight of his storied profession. The previous RING 140-pound champ and WBC 147-pound titlist has fought simply twice for the reason that 2020 world pandemic. One got here in a Dec. 2020 twelve-round defeat to then-unbeaten and unified welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs).
The combating pleasure of Philadelphia returned in July 2022 when he outpointed Jose Benavidez Jr. in Brooklyn. He waited out a deliberate shot at Lara which was initially budgeted for final August. These plans had been shelved when Lara couldn’t keep away from his necessary protection versus Zerafa.
Garcia opted to attend out his one final title shot in lieu of a tune-up.
“It is a legacy combat and a chance to win a championship in my third weight class,” stated García. “Lara is a good champion who’s been round for some time, however so have I. On Sept. 14, I’m bringing the Danny García present to Las Vegas and making it a historic evening.”
