Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez looked close to ending a stoppage drought when he dropped Edgar Berlanga with a perfectly timed left hook.
The September bout saw underdog Berlanga largely dominated by Alvarez, who would win by unanimous decision after scoring the knockdown in the third.
.@Canelo's left hook that dropped Berlanga could be felt in San Juan 🇵🇷. #CaneloBerlangapic.twitter.com/Hd6GAUFzCa
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) September 15, 2024
Speaking post-fight, the Puerto Rican said Canelo – who hasn’t logged a stoppage since his 2021 win over Caleb Plant – ‘hits the hardest’ out of all his opponents and praised the timing of the shot.
“I’ll say he hits the hardest for sure.
One of the fighters who hit very hard was [Roamer Alexis] Angulo, he’s a Cuban guy and he punched very hard to. I’d say both of them were like the same but with Canelo I was just mentally ready for his shots. I already told myself ‘I know I’m going to get hit, I know I’m going to get hit on my chin’, but I’ve got to bit down on my mouthpiece and push.
Look what happened in the third round I got hit with a left hook, we had been practicing in camp the whole time, keeping my right hand to my chin and I wound up for this move and he connected right on my chin.
It comes with boxing, the greats got dropped got hurt, but it’s about how you come back.”
Berlanga is yet to announce his next move in the sport. As for Canelo, he is likely to defend his unified super-middleweight belts in May, potentially against IBF Champion William Scull in an attempt to become two-time undisputed.
