Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez made his fight against Puerto Rico’s Edgar Berlanga official this week.
The elite Mexican will take on undefeated Berlanga on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and as a PBC Pay-Per-View Event Available on Prime Video. It comes after a routine win to keep his four super-middleweight belts against Jaime Munguia back in May – although only three will be on the line later in the year.
Canelo has held all the belts in the division since a 2021 win over Caleb Plant and has made four successful defences against Gennady Golovkin, John Ryder, Jermell Charlo and Munguia.
The press release for the Berlanga fight, however, only lists the WBC, WBA and WBO titles on the line, meaning the IBF is set to follow through with an earlier threat to strip the champion for not fulfilling his mandatory duties against top challenger William Scull. A report from ESPN confirms. Scull may now face number two ranked contender Vladimir Shishkin for the vacant belt.
Canelo – who has received backlash for not making a fight with David Benavidez instead – said it was ‘exciting’ to take part in the next chapter of the national rivalry.
“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.”
Underdog Berlanga – who kicked off his career with sixteen first round knockouts – promised to shock the world.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the good Lord for putting me in this position. 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. I’m ready to make this a historic firefight, continuing the greatest rivalry in boxing: Puerto Rico vs Mexico. Vamos arriba, puñeta!”
Topping the undercard will be Erislandy Lara defending his WBA Middleweight World Championship against Danny Garcia, with more information on further bouts to follow.
