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Canelo and Berlanga Talk It Up In Las Vegas
Pound-for-pound superstar Canelo Álvarez of Guadalajara, Mexico, and WBA mandatory contender Edgar Berlanga of Brooklyn met face-to-face Wednesday at their final news conference ahead of their Mexican Independence Day Weekend fight on Saturday, September 14, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Canelo Álvarez and Edgar Berlanga engage in a face-off during their final pre-fight news conference Wednesday in Las Vegas. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions
Álvarez defends his WBC, WBA, and WBO Super Middleweight World titles in the Premier Boxing Champions Pay-Per-View event available on Prime Video, DAZN, and PPV.com. Fans can also access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets.
Canelo and Berlanga hope to live up to the longstanding legacy of rivalry fights between Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters. While few expect a high-level battle like Sánchez vs. Gómez or Chávez Sr. vs. Camacho, it gives fighters and their fans a storyline to try and generate interest in a fight oddsmakers are calling overwhelmingly for Álvarez.
Canelo: ‘I still love this sport'
Canelo Álvarez speaks to the boxing media at the final pre-fight news conference Wednesday in Las Vegas. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions
“It’s easy to say you’ll knock me out, but it’s much more difficult to do it,” declared Álvarez. “Saturday night is gonna be very difficult for him, for sure.
“I’ve prepared for the knockout. I love the feeling of a knockout, and I’m gonna do my best to get it done. I just can’t wait for Saturday night. This is going to be a great matchup for the people.”
Álvarez says no matter who's involved, a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup is always exciting.
“It’s an honor to fight on this date. Mexican Independence Day is very important for us. It’s very special, and I’m very proud to fight for the Mexican people. I always put 100% into my fights and into training, no matter who I’m fighting. It’s the same mentality every fight. This is no exception,” saying he's had a good training camp and is ready.
Álvarez saluted his fans, who will show up in Las Vegas without much regard for the opponent. “The fans mean everything to me, and I appreciate them. They support me no matter what and I’m thankful for everyone who’s supported me throughout my career. I just want to show everyone that I’m still the best.
“I still love this sport. When I stop loving it, you’ll know. I love my routine, and I love going to the gym every day.”
Berlanga: ‘It's gonna be something amazing'
Edgar Berlanga speaks to the boxing media at the final pre-fight news conference Wednesday in Las Vegas. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions
Berlanga said he will make the most of his opportunity of a lifetime.
“It’s gonna be a firefight this weekend. On Saturday night, I’m gonna make everyone a believer. We have Puerto Rico vs. Mexico, and we’re going at it on Saturday night.”
Like Álvarez, who is promising an eighth-round (or earlier) knockout win, so is the challenger Berlanga.
“I’m a knockout artist. Every fighter wants the knockout. We know that he’s a legend, and we can’t just go swing for the fences. We have to do it the right way. Sixth-round knockout, that’s what we’re going for. But we’re ready for all 12 rounds if we have to.
“It’s gonna be a big fight Saturday, and it’s gonna be something amazing. Right now is the calm before the storm. We’re gonna make history and become legends.”
Berlanga acknowledged the belief he wasn't supposed to be here. “I’ve been doubted since before I turned pro. But I knew that I was bound to end up in this position. I could be the face of Puerto Rican boxing after Saturday night. I’ve wanted that for many years, and now it’s my turn to do it.”
Reynoso and Farrait Have Their Say
Eddy Reynoso has trained Canelo Álvarez his entire professional career. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions
Álvarez's longtime trainer and manager Eddy Reynoso assured the boxing media there had been no slacking off on the preparation for this fight.
“We’ve trained hard because we know we are facing a young fighter coming to take our spot. Berlanga is strong and he wants to prove himself against Canelo. We’ve been very thorough in training for his fight. We have everything we need for Berlanga and we’re coming to make history.”
Berlanga's trainer, Mark Farrait, made the case for his challenger.
“We’re very happy with this opportunity. We trained very hard because we know this fight isn’t about physicality or size. It’s about experience and intelligence, which Canelo thinks Edgar has none of. We’re here to make a statement and show the world our patience and our execution.
“I know Canelo is gonna come out and fight smart. He’s not gonna fight Edgar right away. Because if he does, it’s gonna be fireworks early on. This is our opportunity to knock the king off the throne,” said Farrait.
Eddie Hearn As Hype Man
On a scale of one to ten, the buzz for Canelo vs Berlanga is perhaps a mid-range 5 or 6. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions
Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Sport, has worked both with Álvarez and now with Berlanga. Hearn is the ultimate hype man (that's a compliment, Eddie), and he did his best to whip up interest.
“This is a special week. I’m excited about this fight. Berlanga has the cojones to take Canelo on for real. You know these guys want to mess each other up.
“Berlanga is here to fight. When I came here yesterday and saw Berlanga, I saw the most confident and determined challenger that I’ve seen take on Canelo yet.”
NY Fights will report on all the action from Las Vegas during the week's events and late-breaking news from an expert perspective.
