Canelo Álvarez defeats Edgar Berlanga via unanimous decision

LAS VEGAS — Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez outpointed challenger Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at T-Mobile Arena.

Making his eighth super middleweight title defense, the 34-year-old Alvarez (61-2-2) dominated much of the fight, using his experience and tenacious pursuit to wear down the 27-year-old challenger, frequently sending 20,312 fans into a frenzy, often chanting “Mexico! Mexico!” or “CA-NEL-O! CA-NEL-O!”

Berlanga lost for the first time in his career, dropping to 22-1-0.

“I did good. Now what are they going to say? They said I don’t fight young fighters,” said Álvarez, who was making his eighth super middleweight title defense. “They always talk, but I’m the best fighter in the world.”

Judges Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld scored the fight 118-109, and judge David Sutherland had it 117-110.

Berlanga almost matched Alvarez’s punch output, but the champion was much more accurate. Alvarez landed 43.3% (201 of 464) of the punches he threw, while Berlanga connected on just 119 of 446 (26.7%). Alvarez also landed 49.1% (133 of 271) of his power punches.

Álvarez, a four-division champion, still hasn’t ended a fight early since scoring a technical knockout of Caleb Plant nearly three years ago, when he became the undisputed champion.

It appeared that drought might end when a sharp left hook to the chin dropped Berlanga in the third round, and further punishment from Alvarez seemed to be taking a toll. Alvarez landed a crisp right uppercut in the fifth and a vicious hook in the sixth.

But Berlanga wouldn’t go away, as he stood toe-to-toe and matched Alvarez’s machismo, refusing to be bullied by the man he’d call “my idol” after the fight. He also got wild in the seventh, missing a wild overhand right that caused him to fall on the canvas, and was warned for a headbutt to Alvarez’s face in the eighth round.

“I got a little angry with his tactics, but I’m Mexican man,” Álvarez said. “It means a lot to fight on this day. It’s an honor to represent my country on this day.”

Canelo Álvarez scored a third-round knockdown of Edgar Berlanga and cruised to a comfortable unanimous decision win in Las Vegas Saturday night, defending his super middleweight titles.

Judges scored the contest 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110 in favor of Álvarez.

Álvarez outlanded Berlanga 201 to 119 in the 12-round fight.

Round 12: Both fighters work the crowd in the beginning of the round, but they continue their familiar pattern of trading blows. Canelo Álvarez cruised to a comfortable finish in the contest, but didn’t earn a knockout. The gamesmanship ends with Álvarez and Edgar Berlanga embracing each other in a sign of respect.

Round 11: The bad blood between both fighters continues to boil over. At the end of the round, Canelo Álvarez catches Edgar Berlanga in the corner and pounds away with several unanswered shots. As the bell sounds, they need to be separated from further slugging away at each other. Yet again, Álvarez outlands Berlanga 20 to 12. He’s won every round so far, but will the elusive knockout be there for the taking in the 12th?

Round 10: Edgar Berlanga begins talking trash. Perhaps he feels that it’s a moral victory to make it this far. The final 10 seconds of the round ends awkwardly, as Canelo Álvarez turns his back and walks to a corner prematurely. He pays for it by absorbing a massive right hand from Berlanga. He’s not rattled, though, and gestures for more. Álvarez ends up landing a fight-high 27 punches in the round compared to just 12 from Berlanga.

Round 9: The mounting damage seems to be slowing Edgar Berlanga down. Canelo Álvarez is dominating the inexperienced upstart and likely has built a big lead on the scorecards. He outlands Berlanga 19 to nine in the round. The only question that remains is whether Canelo can score his first stoppage win in five fights spanning three years? It would be a massive letdown if he couldn’t.

Round 8: Roughhouse tactics ensue as Edgar Berlanga drives his head into Canelo Álvarez’s head. Álvarez doesn’t like the gesture, and connects with a crushing right hand in retaliation. Referee Harvey Dock steps in to give Berlanga a stern warning. Alvarez goes on to dominate the round, outlanding Berlanga 21 to 11.

Round 7: For the first time in the fight, Edgar Berlanga outlands Canelo Álvarez with total shots landed in a round — 12 to eight. Berlanga ends the round on his back, but referee Harvey Dock rules it a slip. Berlanga is getting stronger as the fight goes on, but he clearly needs to find lightning in a bottle to give himself a chance.

Round 6: Edgar Berlanga seems to have discovered new-found confidence. He’s letting his hands go a lot more, but Canelo Álvarez is answering back admirably. Both fighters are busier than ever, throwing and landing fight-high shots — Álvarez was 21 of 46 and Berlanga was 14 of 40. Álvarez also landed a fight-high eight body shots. Álvarez has scored a shutout so far through six rounds.

Despite competing with Noche UFC’s nearby card, Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga drew a big crowd. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas has a capacity of 20,000 and the announced crowd was 20,312.

Round 5: After a somewhat slow fourth round, Canelo Álvarez ups the ante in the fifth, digging into the body with a handful of thudding shots. Although Álvarez outlanded Edgar Berlanga 18 to eight, he goes back to his corner with a welt under his left eye.

Round 4: Edgar Berlanga shows a better account of himself in the fourth, landing 11 punches, the most he’s connected with so far. Canelo Álvarez also landed with 11 shots. A good sign for Berlanga as the first third of the fight comes to a close.

Round 3: Canelo Álvarez catches Edgar Berlanga in the corner and connects with one of his patented crushing left hooks to score a knockdown of Berlanga. Berlanga suffered the second knockdown of his career from the well-timed shot. Canelo outlanded Berlanga 20 to six in the round; 14 of the punches were power shots.

Round 2: Canelo Álvarez immediately gets comfortable and connects with a crushing left hook that creates a welt near Edgar Berlanga’s right eye. The action gets rough momentarily with Álvarez landing body shots to a defenseless Berlanga, who retaliates with a low blow. Referee Harvey Dock steps in to break up the action. Álvarez opens up and connects a total of 14 shots compared to just seven returned by Berlanga.

Round 1: A calculated first round kicks off the fight. Edgar Berlanga, who kicked off his career with 16 first-round knockouts, is the bigger guy, but Canelo Álvarez backs him into the corner midway through the round to connect with a left jab and one of his trademark body shots.

Álvarez edged Berlanga six to five in total shots landed.

Erislandy Lara and Danny Garcia brought big-name recognition into their bout, but once the opening bell sounded they offered little else as the aging veterans halted the show with a snoozer in their co-main event.

The WBA middleweight champion Lara, 41, outboxed Garcia, who never looked comfortable. By the ninth round, Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) had beat the listless Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) out of the fight, knocking him down with a straight left hand. Garcia collapsed with a delayed reaction for the first knockdown of his potential Hall of Fame-bound career.

The Philadelphia-born-and-bred fighter was saved by the bell, but then his father and trainer Angel Garcia took matters into his hands from there in the corner, advising referee Thomas Taylor to stop the fight.

Making his middleweight debut off a 26-month layoff proved to be a tall task for the former 140- and 147-pound champion Garcia. Ring rust played a factor for Garcia, 36, who didn’t land more than five punches in a round until the seventh. The Cuban southpaw Lara, the oldest active champion in boxing, wasn’t much busier.

Through the first six rounds, Lara outlanded Garcia 34 to 20, and the boobirds were out in full force at T-Mobile Arena.

Lara outlanded Garcia 63 to 33 in the fight.

Caleb Plant’s campaign for another crack at Canelo Álvarez’s super middleweight crown is still on track, but not without minor complications.

The former 168-pound titleholder Plant survived a few rough patches, including a knockdown, but he recovered remarkably to score a ninth-round technical knockout win in an entertaining fight.

The stoppage came just before the final bell at the 2:59 mark of the round, as Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) was teeing off on a defenseless Trevor McCumby (28-1, 21 KOs), who was on the ropes. The onslaught forced referee Allen Huggins to wave off the action. Plant landed a fight-high 40 punches in the final frame, and 207 overall, compared to 97 from McCumby.

McCumby had never faced world-level competition before but demonstrated he deserved the chance to fight Plant by showing off his power. In the final seconds of the second round, McCumby connected with a left hook that caused a delayed knockdown of Plant, but Huggins did not rule the sequence as a knockdown. Plant appeared to have shaky legs getting back up.

In the fourth round, McCumby connected with back-to-back left hooks to Plant’s right arm area that knocked down the off-balanced Plant. This time, Huggins ruled it as a knockdown.

But Plant was never hurt and brushed off the knockdown.

By the fifth round, McCumby suffered a cut near his right eyebrow, and by the sixth, Plant was crushing McCumby from pillar to post, mocking his rival with shimmies and hand gestures.

McCumby was better in the seventh, but Plant still pummeled him, this time outlanding him 27 to 13.

Round 8 was mostly even, but Plant separated himself in the ninth to win.

Plant was fighting for the first time since losing to David Benavidez 18 months ago.

The only other loss of his career came to Álvarez in 2021 via an 11th-round knockout.

Former 140-pound titleholder Rolando Romero received a made-to-order matchup to get back into the groove, besting the little-known Manuel Jaimes for a unanimous decision.

Romero leaned on his experience to outlast Jaimes in a workman-like win, as the three judges scored the 10-round junior welterweight contest 99-91 to kick off the pay-per-view portion of the card.

Romero outlanded Jaimes in nine out of the 10 rounds and tied for landed shots in the other, with the final tally totaling 112 to 89 in his favor. There were a lot of missed opportunities, however, as Romero landed 28% of his punches and Jaimes landed just 25% of his.

Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) came into the fight having lost two out of his last three bouts via stoppage against known knockout artists Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz. Northern California’s Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs), meanwhile, had never fought in a scheduled 10-rounder before.

While you wait for the main event featuring Canelo Álvarez and Edgar Berlanga to begin, look back at their weigh-in from Friday as well as their recent press conference.

×

×

Mexican fighter Canelo Álvarez, left, and Puerto Rican fighter Edgar Berlanga face off tonight in Las Vegas.

(Courtesy of PBC)

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez

Age: 34 (July 18, 1990)

Hometown: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Record: 61-2-2, 39 KOs

Nickname: Canelo

World championship fights: 22-2-1, 11 KOs

Championships: Super-welterweight (154 pounds), Middleweight (160 pounds), Super-middleweight (168 pounds), Light-heavyweight (175 pounds)

Total rounds fought: 496

Knockout Ratio: 63.9%

Height: 5-foot-8

Reach: 70½ inches

Weight: 166.8 pounds

Stance: Right-handed

Manager/trainer: Eddy Reynoso

Turned Professional: 2005

Notable wins: Jaime Munguia, Jermell Charlo, John Ryder, Gennady Golovkin (two wins; one draw), Caleb Plant, Billy Joe Saunders, Callum Smith, Sergey Kovalev, Daniel Jacobs, Rocky Fielding, Julio CĂŠsar ChĂĄvez Jr., Liam Smith, Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Erislandy Lara, Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Josesito LĂłpez, Shane Mosley, Kermit CintrĂłn, Matthew Hatton.

Edgar Berlanga

Age: 27 (May 18, 1997)

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Record: 22-0, 17 KOs

Nickname: The Chosen One

Total rounds fought: 72

Knockout Ratio: 77.2%

Height: 6-foot-1

Reach: 73 inches

Weight: 167.7 pounds

Stance: Orthodox

Trainer: Marc Farrait

Turned Professional: 2016

Canelo Álvarez is confident he will knock out his opponent Edgar Berlanga.

(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy / Getty Images)

The following is an excerpt of an interview with Canelo Álvarez ahead of his fight against Edgar Berlanga. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

How does it feel to be headlining another Mexican independence day weekend fight?

I feel good. I feel proud about it. Always fighting on those days for me is amazing. I feel proud to represent my country. I am proud to be here.

Berlanga has made you mad during the build-up of this fight. And we don’t see that side of you very often, when you are visibly upset and annoyed. Why are you so confident that you are going to knock him out?

I believe in my skills and my experience. I am a strong fighter. I am smart. I have a lot of talent. I know every style and everything about boxing. I am ready to do whatever I want.

Berlanga said he is going to beat you with his mental approach and IQ, and you have laughed at that. Do you respect Berlanga? And what is the biggest danger that he presents to you?

We’ll see Saturday [what his biggest danger is]. He’s going to see the truth and face something different. I just can’t wait to be there in the ring.

Do you envision this being an entertaining war for as long as it lasts?

I would love for [an entertaining war]. That’s what I hope for the people. I hope the people enjoy this fight.

You and Conor McGregor have been going at it in recent months. Fighting him would be a mega event and mean major money for you. Are you open to fighting Conor McGregor?

Yeah, why not? We’ve never talked about it. We’ll show boxing is better.

Is the McGregor fight easy money for you?

It’s very, very easy money. I’ll knock him out at the time that I want. One round, two rounds, three rounds, whatever I want.

The three best fights remaining for you are either against David Benavidez, Terence Crawford, or the winner of Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Will we see those fights for you before you retire?

Could be, why not? We are in boxing. It could be.

What is the minimum payday you are looking for to take those fights?

You know already [how much I want]. Right now I am 100% focused on my fight. You know the answer.

Crawford said you’re afraid to lose to a smaller guy and tarnish your legacy. You are saying the Crawford fight would be a massive mismatch. Why do you believe Crawford is such an easy fight for you?

What we saw in the last fight [vs. Israil Madrimov] — that’s why there are weight classes. That’s why I think it’s an easy fight for me. He moves a lot and he’s a good fighter, and he’s a good boxer, and he’s going to complicate the first four rounds. Then I’ll figure him out, and that’s what I think.

The last time we talked, you said that Benavidez is a risky fight, but that you would beat him, only, not in the way you always did. How would you beat Benavidez?

[I would beat Benavidez] with my skills, and with my talent. I’m a strong fighter who has a lot of experience in this sport.

You are 34 years old and have been fighting professionally for almost 20 years. How many more years do you want to fight?

I don’t know. I am just going fight by fight. I am still in my prime. This Canelo beats the 24, 25, 26-year-old Canelo.

What’s the No. 1 motivating factor for you right now?

I love what I do. I still enjoy boxing. I still enjoy all of this and that is motivation.

What does a perfect fight look like for you against Berlanga?

Winning by knockout — eight rounds or less.

Canelo Álvarez and Edgar Berlanga face off during a news conference in Beverly Hills on Aug. 6.

(Courtesy of Esther Lin/Premier Boxing Champions)

The following is an excerpt of an interview with Edgar Berlanga ahead of his fight against Canelo Álvarez. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Why you are more deserving to get this fight than David Benavidez and some of the other opponents Canelo Álvarez could have been facing?

They don’t sell. They don’t have a country behind them. I am Puerto Rican, and that is a big help to get the fight. They are not somebody that people must watch. When I fight, people want to watch me. Everyone is tuning in. I don’t need a title. I have the credentials from what I bring to the table. I got this fight due to my hard work and from my last performance and knockout win against Padraig McCrory. It definitely set me up and put me in this position.

How has your initial confrontation and faceoff with Canelo further motivated you and enhanced your fire heading into this fight?

It’s just more fire for me to win. ... I’m fighting a legend, and I am going to become a legend. It’s my time to shine. I am destined for this, to take over the sport and become the face by defeating him and retiring him on the night. He already made his mark in the sport. People are tired of him and want a new face.

Do you believe Canelo has gotten too overconfident in this fight?

He’s overlooking me. He knows that I have skills. He’s probably doubting that too, and that I don’t hit hard. He’s 100% doubting my fighting IQ and experience. He thinks it’s a cakewalk for him, and that he’s just going to walk in and make $35-40 million against a younger guy. He thinks it’s a walkthrough, but he’s going to walk into a brick wall. He’s going to see something different. It is what it is.

You said you are training to enhance IQ, intelligence and being smart. How are you doing that?

I don’t want to talk about that. I’m not trying to expose my strategy. We have the same jab, the same right hand and the same combination. It’s just taking the mentality to a whole new level. It’s about this [points to head]. It’s about how you set it up and how you can be smart in that ring and break a fighter like him down. He’s gotten broken down numerous times. His code has already been cracked four times by Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erislandy Lara, the first Gennadiy Golovkin fight and by Dmitry Bivol. I’m not going in there like, ‘Oh my God, I have to figure this guy out.’ It’s just about the mind and showing him that I have the IQ and experience. Everything that he says I don’t have, I’m going to show him that I have it.

Why did you move your training camp to Colorado?

I wanted to be trained in the wilderness at high altitudes. I’m in the woods. There are bears who visit me every morning. I like being around that. That’s the real fighter’s mentality. It’s putting me in the zone. It’s putting me in the space to be locked in. I could have done camp anywhere, but I needed to be out here in nature. When God wants you to elevate in life, he isolates you. And that is why I am in isolation. I’m in the jail.

Canelo has dropped his last three opponents but hasn’t had a knockout in his last five fights. Do you believe Canelo is past his prime or is he still operating at the peak of his powers?

Yeah, he’s getting old, but he fought a great fight in the last fight against Jaime Munguia. I don’t see a decline. I still think that he is good. I am not taking anything away from him. I know what I am going up against, and who I am going up against. I know what it takes to beat a guy like that. Now it’s my time though. I am destined. It’s the perfect time to take over the sport of boxing.

Who will win Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga? The Los Angeles Times asked the following boxing experts for their predictions.

“Although I don’t agree, some people think Canelo Álvarez is no longer the fighter he once was. What’s 100% certain is that Edgar Berlanga has never been the fighter that Álvarez still is. Berlanga should go in throwing bombs, pray that one of them lands and gratefully cash his check either way.

“Álvarez has little to gain from this fight and plenty to lose, whether in a shocking result or in an unimpressive PPV number against UFC 306. As for Álvarez’s future, I completely agree with his reluctance to fight David Benavidez without a massive payday to compensate for the huge physical disadvantage he’ll face. I think Cinco de Mayo weekend 2025 is the perfect time for a possible career-defining bout against one of his few boxing peers: Terence Crawford. Álvarez by late-round KO.”

— Greg Beacham, sports writer, Associated Press

WBC/WBA/WBO super middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez and challenger Edgar Berlanga face off during a ceremonial weigh-in in Toshiba Plaza at T-Mobile Arena on Friday in Las Vegas.

(Steve Marcus / Getty Images)

“Berlanga is tough and strong, but he isn’t experienced, skillful or durable enough to last 12 rounds with Álvarez. The Mexican icon will batter Berlanga’s body and arms, soften him up, and take him out for his first knockout win in nearly three years. The 34-year-old Álvarez should reward fans who are loyal enough to either purchase tickets to this complete mismatch in Las Vegas or buy the pay-per-view show for $90 by embracing a legitimate challenge next.

“Almost 20 years into his pro career, he’s still an elite-level boxer and shouldn’t continue concocting excuses for avoiding David Benavidez, who is younger and bigger than Álvarez, yet hardly unbeatable. A showdown with another four-weight world champion, Terence Crawford, would be a safer fight than battling Benavidez because Crawford would need to move up two divisions for it, but there is plenty of public demand for Álvarez-Crawford as well. Álvarez by ninth-round TKO.”

— Keith Idec, boxing analyst, Uncrowned.com/Yahoo! Sports

“Make no mistake, this isn’t the fight that boxing fans wanted from the Mexican superstar. That would be a showdown with divisional boogeyman David Benavidez or a unique super fight with pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford. But Álvarez gets to call his shots thanks to everything he has accomplished as the face of the post-Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao era.

“And at 34, even amid whispers that he’s slowing down just a bit some 19 years into his legendary career, Álvarez’s recent results of blowout wins against Jermell Charlo and Jaime Munguia make it hard to agree with that. Berlanga’s nickname of “The Chosen One” seems apropos because he’s only in this spot due to Álvarez choosing him. Berlanga has power in both hands and no shortage of confidence but he badly lacks the type of experience and is an overwhelming underdog. Expect Álvarez to shine, once again, where the real suspense will come from whether or not he mentions Benavidez or Crawford’s name during his postfight interview. Álvarez by eighth-round technical knockout.”

— Brian Campbell, combat sports senior insider, CBS Sports, co-host of Morning Kombat and The Brian Campbell Experience founder

“With heavy hands and a befitting bravado, Berlanga is tailor-made for Álvarez, whose class, experience, power, and chin propel him to another 168-pound championship defense. Devoid of a KO since 2021, he ends a spirited fight in the seventh round — securing a second consecutive victory over a younger, bigger, fresher foe.

“If the 34-year-old Mexican icon emerges victorious over the 27-year-old Nuyorican, three marquee opponents await: former two-time WBC super middleweight champion turned light heavyweight David Benavidez, WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and WBA junior middleweight champion Terence Crawford, a fellow four-division titlist. Other prospective challengers — at least in theory — won’t issue a proper challenge to Álvarez, whose sustained all-time greatness warrants the ilk of opposition he hasn’t faced since his 2022 loss to Bivol. That said, with his legacy — and drawing power — in tact, he’s right to fight whoever he’d like.”

— Sam Gordon, sports reporter, San Francisco Chronicle

“Álvarez is a huge, odds-on favorite. The only way I envision anything different is if Canelo has his worst night ever in the squared circle; and somehow, Berlanga ... is superhuman. Right now, Álvarez needs defining fights. For me, there are four defining moments in his career. Floyd Mayweather Jr., the first two Gennadiy Golovkin fights and Dimitry Bivol. Three of those — counting the first Golovkin encounter as a loss — he was defeated in, but Álvarez still rose after them. The red-haired legend is a modern great. That is undeniable.

“If Bivol defeats Artur Beterbiev, that would be a great challenge as a return match. And then finally, we would also like to see Álvarez fight the big white elephant in the room, David Benavidez. The issue with Álvarez-Berlanga — and I do not write this with any lack of respect for Álvarez — is that it does not thrill in your blood. Those other two fights would whet the appetite enormously. Álvarez to win on points or by late stoppage.

— Gareth A. Davies, boxing correspondent, The Daily Telegraph

“I see Álvarez going after Berlanga early due to his trash-talking during the build-up. However, if Álvarez goes too gung-ho, I can also envisage him getting caught as he does so and potentially being hurt. That initial success for Berlanga will only antagonize the Mexican superstar further, though, and with the help of those stunning uppercuts used effectively against Jaime Munguia, I expect Álvarez to record his first knockout since 2021 in rounds five through eight.”

— Phil Jay, editor, World Boxing News

“While Álvarez has to be considered the favorite, is he a near 18-1 favorite over an undefeated opponent with so many physical advantages? Álvarez will win a decision, but I believe it will be anything but comfortable. Álvarez’s future, with a win on Saturday, will be whatever he wants it to be. He’ll fight for any promoter he wants to fight for, against any opponent he wants to face. Only Álvarez has that kind of power.”

— Randy Gordon, host, SiriusXM Fight Nation’s “At The Fights”

“Berlanga simply isn’t in Álvarez’s class and it’s a massive disappointment that Álvarez chose this type of opponent. His last three fights were against John Ryder, Jermell Charlo, and Jaime Munguia, all of whom were disappointing, but not to this level. Álvarez remains a great fighter, but he was defined for most of his career by seeking out the biggest challenges. Recently, he’s been seeking the biggest purses for the least risk. That’s not the Álvarez I know and fell in love watching. Álvarez by fifth-round TKO.”

— Kevin Iole, founder, KevinIole.com

“I’m expecting Álvarez to knock out Berlanga in the 10th round to record his first stoppage in nearly three years. Álvarez could have ended his KO drought against Jaime Munguia, but it appeared he had too much respect for the fellow Mexican and eased up in the final rounds. Berlanga isn’t on Munguia’s level, one of the many reasons why I think the New Yorker isn’t deserving of this high-profile bout. Berlanga is slow-footed and his power might have been overrated based on the poor quality of his opponents in his career. Álvarez took the easy way out by not tabbing David Benavidez as his next opponent. But I’ll give the boxing superstar a pass out of respect for fighting many champions in his decorated career. If Álvarez looks dominant and this bout turns out to be more of a tune-up for Benavidez, then all will be forgiven, hopefully by Cinco de Mayo 2025.”

— Gilberto Manzano, staff writer, Sports Illustrated and co-founder of Compas on the Beat

“Berlanga isn’t in Álvarez’s class, which is why he probably will be overwhelmed and ultimately knocked out. This is the fourth mismatch for Álvarez since the Mexican star lost a decision to Dmitry Bivol and arguably the eighth in his last nine fights, dating back to his meeting with Sergey Kovalev in 2019. That’s frustrating for boxing fans because a genuine threat is ready and willing, the dangerous David Benavidez. Álvarez has the right — and leverage — to fight anyone he pleases as his career winds down but make no mistake: His treasured legacy is taking a hit.

“The good news for him is that there’s still time to get it right. He could face Benavidez yet, although he still hasn’t shown much interest. And he said publicly that he’d like a second shot at Bivol if Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev on Oct. 12. Bottom line: Let’s hope Álvarez’s next opponent has a chance to have his hand raised.

— Michael Rosenthal, editor, Boxing Junkie (USA Today Sports)

“Most fans and all the oddsmakers feel it’s a foregone conclusion that Álvarez defeats Berlanga. What is up for debate is how he picks up his 62nd win. Although a war of words has been the centerpiece of the promotion, Álvarez, who has predicted a knockout in under eight rounds, will likely box his way to a 12-round unanimous decision. Álvarez is at a stage in his career where “risky” isn’t a word that would be used to accompany a future opponent. At 34 years old and heading into his 66th pro fight, there isn’t any need to take on the biggest challenges. An Álvarez fight at this stage in his career is an event, and before he hangs up the gloves, we will see him face decent opponents (Chris Eubank Jr.) or fighters willing to move up (Terence Crawford) and take a considerable risk for a shot at the top spot. Álvarez’s last years will mirror that of Floyd Mayweather Jr., which is something he has earned and has every right to take that approach for the last phase of his boxing career.”

— Abraham Gonzalez, founder, FightsATW.com

“Álvarez is a prohibitive favorite. Any prediction for this fight focuses on the how, and not the who. Yes, Berlanga has power. His remaining skillset is still too immature to challenge the ring command, speed, footwork, defense, and precision of Álvarez. Should Álvarez make a mistake and Berlanga hits him flush, the Mexican star has among the best chins in boxing. If Gennadiy Golovkin couldn’t wobble Álvarez, Berlanga won’t. Álvarez admitted he could have stopped Jaime Munguia in May, but allowed him to finish on his feet as a show of respect for his countryman. He will not grant this courtesy to Berlanga. Álvarez will school Berlanga, much as he did Caleb Plant. Álvarez will be too elusive, using Berlanga’s body for target practice. As damage accumulates, Berlanga will eventually yield. Álvarez by eighth-round TKO.”

— Gayle Falkenthal, West Coast bureau chief, NYFights.com

“Álvarez hasn’t scored a stoppage in nearly three years. It’s a reason, just one, that leads to lots of talk suggesting that the Mexican pay-per-view star is sliding out of his prime. Berlanga is the perfect opponent for Álvarez to counter the talk, if not stop it altogether. The guess here is that Álvarez will deliver on his promise with a KO, sometime in the later rounds against Berlanga, who goes into the fight with little to lose. After all, there is nobody — absolutely no one — who thinks he can win.

“If the fight somehow goes to the scorecards, the court of public opinion will judge the fight as a Berlanga victory and a Álvarez loss. But don’t expect a decision, at least not in this fight. The real decision is about what Álvarez will do next. Reportedly, there are two options: David Benavidez or Terence Crawford. If you follow the money — and Álvarez does — bet on Crawford. Then again, it’s not exactly clear what Álvarez is thinking. He’s 34. He says he wants to fight until he’s 37. He can keep himself in the public eye and still make plenty against another Berlanga-like opponent. Álvarez by ninth-round TKO.”

— Norm Frauenheim, writer, 15Rounds.com

Álvarez is once again fighting against much lesser opposition, a fighter that hasn’t even challenged for a world title. Berlanga has power, a decent jab, and a good distance. However, he has the style that Álvarez likes, which is going forward, making himself vulnerable to counterattacks. Álvarez will knock out the inexperienced Berlanga unless the Mexican champion’s power or stamina has diminished. The Brooklyn native shouldn’t rush like Jaime Munguía did in May. But if he starts too slow, he can lose many rounds and have trouble catching up. Either way, Berlanga is young and talented but is not quite ready. Álvarez KOs Berlanga.

— Eduard Cauich, sports reporter, LA Times en Español

I don’t expect this to be an epic Mexico-Puerto Rico battle. Álvarez will get it done by the ninth round as Edgar Berlanga will succumb to the pressure of it all. Álvarez needs a knockout and this is his best chance against an inferior fighter. It will be another nice payday for Álvarez.

— Jad El Reda, sports reporter, LA Times en Español

Erislandy Lara, right, is among the fights on the Canelo Álvarez undercard.

(Courtesy of Sean Michael Ham/TGB Promotions)

The pay-per-view card headlined by the Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga fight will begin at 5 p.m. PDT and will be complemented by three other fights.

In the co-main event, Erislandy Lara will defend his WBA middleweight title against Danny Garcia. Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), a 41-year-old from Cuba, is best known for giving Álvarez one of the toughest tests of his career in 2014 in a competitive split decision loss. Now he’ll give Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) a chance to become a three-division champion. The former 140 and 147-pound titleholder from Philadelphia is making his middleweight debut after a 26-month hiatus.

Also featured on the card is Caleb Plant, who lost to Álvarez in 2021 via 11th-round knockout. The former 168-pound titleholder Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to get back into the win column after losing to David Benavidez 18 months ago. Plant will be pitted against Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs).

Kicking off the card will be a contest between former junior welterweight titleholder Rolando Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) and Northern California’s Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1, 11 KOs).

The night of fights will kick off on the PBC YouTube channel with a trio of bouts starting at 3 p.m. PDT.

Former unified 122-pound champion Stephen Fulton Jr. (21-1, 8 KOs) will make his featherweight debut against Carlos Castro (30-2, 14 KOs). Fulton hasn’t fought since getting knocked out in July 2023 in Japan against Naoya Inoue.

Welterweights Roiman Villa (26-2, 24 KOs) and Ricardo Salas (19-2-2, 14 KOs) and featherweights Jonathan Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) and Richard Medina (15-2, 8 KOs) will also be featured.

May and September fight dates are considered sacred in combat sports because of the massive number of Mexicans who celebrate their holiday weekends — Cinco de Mayo and Mexican independence day on Sept. 16 — by watching boxing.

Julio CÊsar Chåvez, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Canelo Álvarez have had a chokehold on the dates during the past 30 years.

But the UFC is throwing a counterpunch.

Álvarez will a Mexican independence day weekend matchup Saturday against Edgar Berlanga at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

UFC president Dana White said he plans to take over at least one of the Mexican holiday fight weekends.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

The super middleweight king and Mexican superstar Álvarez will not only have to fend off the undefeated upstart Berlanga but the UFC as well, as the mixed martial arts outfit is staging the first live sporting event at The Sphere across the street with plenty of planned pomp and circumstance.

UFC president and CEO Dana White is dedicating and branding the $20 million production of UFC 306 / Noche UFC as a “love letter” to Mexico and plans to consistently stage shows around Mexican holidays moving forward.

Boxing versus MMA has become a fight within the fights on Saturday night, even if the principals don’t openly admit that market share is on the line.

Last year, UFC was first in line to take the Mexican independence day weekend date at T-Mobile Arena, pushing Álvarez to fight on Sept. 30 in the same venue. Álvarez’s camp delivered a counterpunch this year by locking in the date before UFC could with arena operator MGM Resorts.

“If this didn’t happen, or go down the way that it did, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do the Sphere,” White said in an interview.

Canelo Álvarez has long owned Mexican holiday fight weekends in Las Vegas and insists he doesn’t see UFC as competition for audience on those dates.

(Refugio Ruiz / Associated Press)

Álvarez, who is coming off a unanimous decision win against Jaime Munguia on May 6 at T-Mobile Arena, doesn’t deem the UFC’s infiltration on his traditional fight dates as a threat.

“No, nothing — competition is good,” he said. “May and September are my dates. I just focus on what I am doing. If somebody wants to do another show, it’s fine.”

Álvarez and the UFC’s dates have clashed before, and although Álvarez won the fight, he lost the narrative of the night.

During his Nov. 2, 2019, knockout win against Sergey Kovalev, Álvarez infamously was slumped on a sofa inexplicably waiting for the UFC to complete its card at Madison Square Garden in New York. Álvarez’s streaming partner at the time, DAZN, made the call to wait for the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal fight to be done before they moved on with their show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Adding insult to injury, the MGM Grand screens streamed the UFC card inside the arena to keep fans busy before Álvarez could make his ringwalk.

“It’s not like I’m looking to compete or hurt Canelo [on Saturday] in any way, shape, or form,” said White. “I respect Canelo as a fighter and a person. I have no beef with him. I have no beef with [Álvarez handler and Premier Boxing Champions head Al] Haymon.”

White said UFC 306 — headlined by bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley’s title defense against Merab Dvalishvili — will be a financial success despite its massive operating costs. The UFC’s sponsorship with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, has also helped offset costs.

Merab Dvalishvili, left, celebrates in the closing seconds against Henry Cejudo during their bantamweight bout at the UFC 298 Feb. 17 in Anaheim. Dvalishvili is among the fighters on UFC’s card in Las Vegas Saturday night.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Although Alalshikh plans to work with Álvarez, the combat sports power broker is also promising UFC will eat up Álvarez’s event on Saturday night.

“This is going to be the biggest gate in UFC history, coming in at $22-23 million,” said White. “MGM is guaranteeing [Álvarez’s] gate at $25 million. My gate is legit. I’m sure Canelo is going to do fine. He’s going to make money, and we’re going to do our thing on the same night.”

Tom Brown, head of the San Fernando Valley-based TGB Promotions, works with PBC and has been Álvarez’s lead promoter across four fights in Las Vegas in recent years. The career-long boxing executive refuted White’s claim that MGM is guaranteeing the gate.

“I’m a huge fan of Dana White and respect him, but our gate is not guaranteed by MGM, and he knows that,” said Brown. “Competition is good, and it’s great for the city of Las Vegas, for Mexican fans and for combat sports. It will only help both sports. I think both shows are going to be successful and I wish nothing but success for the UFC. We’re going to have a big night on Saturday, and it’s a grand slam for the city.”

White said the UFC has broken its pay-per-view pre-buy record for the event. UFC’s PPV is priced at $80 and Álvarez’s PPV is priced at $90, not including subscription costs.

Fight fans with PPV buying power will either consider watching the UFC’s more competitive card and the Sphere’s glitz and glamour or go back to the tried-and-true Álvarez to see if he can score his first knockout win in five fights against the massive underdog Berlanga.

Álvarez rolled the dice and picked the Puerto Rican instead of fighting the more deserving David Benavidez, especially as he waits for Alalshikh to accommodate his $100 million-plus payday proclamation to fight the fast-rising Mexican-American contender.

Álvarez’s cavalier attitude toward scheduling bouts with less-deserving opponents could be music to White’s ears as they battle for attention during two of the most important fight nights on the calendar.

“They still have a lot of boxing fans, and not all Mexican people are fans of the UFC yet,” said White. “My thinking of Noche UFC has changed. The following day I will be thinking about how to make it even more special next year.”

Canelo Álvarez walks away during his win over Jaime Munguía on May 4 in Las Vegas.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

Canelo Álvarez is a -1800 betting favorite, and Edgar Berlanga is a +1000 betting underdog, according to DraftKings.

The over/under line on the total number of rounds to fight is set to last is 8.5 rounds. A full breakdown of bets and methods of victory can be seen here, as offered by DraftKings.

Dan Canobbio, an analyst for DraftKings, shared his insight.

Canelo Álvarez steps back into the ring Saturday night against Edgar Berlanga and these are the hard facts: it will be his 66th professional fight; he’s won 61 of them. His 232 championship rounds and 21 champions fought both rank No.1 among active fighters.

Berlanga has zero champions on his resume and will be fighting in only his 23rd pro fight.

This is why Álvarez is a massive favorite in this fight. While the Álvarez money line should not be in play for Saturday night, the over/under of 8.5 rounds and an Álvarez late stoppage will be.

Álvarez is a notoriously slow starter, using the early frames to “download data” on his opponent. Over his last four fights, Álvarez has not thrown more than 49 punches in any of the first three rounds.

Expect him to take his time with Berlanga and the over 8.5 rounds prop to hit.

Álvarez has not registered a stoppage win in five fights dating back to 2021, but that streak will end Saturday night due to the extra venom toward Berlanga in the buildup, and the fact Berlanga opponents land 30% of their power shots.

Expect a calculated Álvarez early on and a powerful one late — with the over 8.5 rounds and 7-12 rounds win being the smart play for this fight.

The fight between Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga can be purchased for $89.99 through Prime Video, DAZN, or PPV.com.

The PPV portion of the fight card begins at 5 p.m. PDT.

If you’re in Las Vegas and want to be ringside at the T-Mobile Arena, tickets can be purchased through AXS.com, the event’s official ticket distribution service.

On Tap Sports has a directory of sports bars and restaurants around the country showing the fight.

Select movie theaters across the United States will carry the fight via Fathom Events. Click here to see which locations.