IF WE are counting scores in the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga pre-fight shenanigans, then the Mexican is way ahead, and it’s not even half-time yet.
The two super-middleweights met in Beverly Hills yesterday to promote their upcoming bout on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Berlanga brought his Puerto Rican pride and a mix of bullishness and bravado that tried its best to unsettle the undisputed number one of the 12-stone division.
Canelo would have been content to carry out his media obligations with Berlanga respectfully and cordially before settling their business in the ring and sharing an embrace afterwards. Berlanga wants none of that, however. The 34-year-old champion laughed off his attempts to intimidate a man seven years older than him and who has fought nearly three times more.
“You hit like my son,” Canelo told him at yesterday’s press conference. The response came after Berlanga had poked and poked with verbal jabs. His own retaliatory remarks were X-rated, proving that Canelo has the upper hand, not just in the ring.
Canelo then predicted that he would defeat his latest opponent in eight rounds.
“I’m not going to have compassion,” he said.
He too wasn’t short of a curse word himself and was happy to engage in Berlanga’s silly games. The truth is Berlanga was being laughed at. These were moments that could have been watched through fingers if you were part of his team. Because, the truth is that the 27-year-old is one of the weakest challengers to get the opportunity to face Canelo and earn millions in the process.
“I don’t want to f**k you up right now because your money will be gone,” the champion added.
Berlanga cannot be blamed for landing a fight that is coming far too soon for him. His career has folded into two stories. The first being that of a young, confident Puerto Rican knockout talent whose first 15 opponents never reached the second round. The second is of a fighter who has gone the distance six times in his last seven fights when the competition has been stepped up – but not to a level that could be described as world-class.
Six months ago, Berlanga finished his second consecutive Irish opponent – Padraig McCrory – in the sixth round. It didn’t take long before Berlanga was the WBA mandatory challenger to Canelo’s world title. Another win for how boxing rankings work.
Canelo is not without blame, either. Sure, he has an obligation to fulfil his mandatories and was stripped of his IBF world title instead of facing their own mandatory challenger, William Scull. Berlanga got the nod because it will, at the very least, do more pay-per-view numbers and renew the historic Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry which we’ll all be reminded of by broadcasters in the days and weeks to come.
No one wanted to see either fight. What they want is what they will not get, and that is Canelo against David Benavidez—a fight that the Mexican will not entertain unless he is paid $200 million dollars. Canelo cites the weight advantage that Benavidez would have come fight night as a risk—in his eyes—and views the astronomical figure as a just reward.
Come September 14, when Canelo puts his three world titles on the line, there will be little risk. Pundits will be reduced to, “All it takes is one punch” and body language observers may find something to put on social media.
Yesterday, Canelo toyed with the inexperienced Berlanga and made him look a bit silly and in just over five weeks’ time he will do the same when the words are replaced by punches.
