Canelo vs Berlanga Fight Week Gets Rolling in Las Vegas

Playing host to a major boxing card for the Mexican Independence Day weekend is a tradition in Las Vegas. This year, fans may not love the lineup. But the devoted fans from both sides of the border will bring the action thanks to their enthusiasm for the holiday traditions, and for the face of boxing in Mexico and around the world.

Pound-for-pound great Saul “Canelo” Álvarez of Guadalajara and brash challenger Edgar Berlanga of Brooklyn kicked off fight week Tuesday with a fan favorite event, the Grand Arrivals at the fight headquarters, the MGM Grand Hotel.

Álvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) defends his undisputed super middleweight world titles for the fourth time against the undefeated Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view event on Prime Video on Saturday, September 14 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Berlanga: ‘We're about to make history'

Edgar Berlanga donned a mask during his grand arrival at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on Tuesday, September 10. Photo: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

The champion made a splash arriving at the entrance behind the wheel of his personal Bugatti with trainer Eddy Reynoso riding shotgun. It's the same car Canelo drove to his news conference announcing his fight against Dmitry Bivol. Fingers crossed for his sake it's not a jinx.

Berlanga rolled up to the curb in a luxury off-road vehicle with a massive Puerto Rican flag flying from the back, standing up through the open roof. He walked in wearing a mask to a chorus of boos from an impressive crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena lobby. He said, “Shout out to the haters … you push me to greatness.”

“We're ready. I've been in this game for over 20 years. We're about to make history. It's something special that's going to happen this weekend,” said Berlanga, who had to remove the mask to be heard by the crowd.

“When it's time to shine, when it's my moment, I always come through. It's war; it's Puerto Rico vs Mexico. As far as Team Canelo we always have respect for him. He's going in there to hurt me, and I'm going in there to hurt him.” Berlanga predicted a sixth-round knockout.

Alvarez: ‘He's nothing new for me'

No matter who his opponent is, Canelo Alvarez continues to draw crowds of fans in Las Vegas. Photo: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

Canelo Alvarez walked in with trainer Eddy Reynoso, wearing a custom bomber jacket emblazoned with his new branding “Oso Poderoso,” literally “Powerful Bear.”

“We'll see. It's easy to say. Saturday, he's going to see something different,” said Alvarez, sticking with his prediction of an eighth-round knockout “or less.”

When asked about Berlanga, Alvarez said, “He's a good fighter, he's strong, but he's nothing new for me. I've fought everybody, every style. Bigger than me, younger than me, older than me. I know everything about boxing. I've got a lot of experience. He's going to feel it Saturday night.

“I like to respect my opponents every time. That's my way to do it. But when someone talks shit about me, I can do it too. But he's not just in my mouth. It's in my hands, too.”

Canelo vs Berlanga Las Vegas Schedule

CANELO VS. BERLANGA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE: Wednesday, September 11 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

MEDIA WORKOUT: Wednesday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE: Thursday, September 12 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

CEREMONIAL WEIGH-IN: Friday, September 13 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

All events are streamed live on the PBC YouTube page.

Undercard Fighters Show Out For Fans

Erislandy Lara will defend his middleweight title on the undercard Saturday. Photo: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

Undercard fighters also participate in the grand arrival event, greeting fans, posing for selfies, and signing a few photos and gloves.

WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara of Cuba (33-3-3, 18 KOs) takes on former two-division world champion and Puerto Rican star Danny “Swift” García of Philadelphia (37-3, 21 KOs) looking for a title in a third division in a 12-round bout.

Garcia arrived with his infamous trainer/father, Angel Garcia, in tow. “All the hard work is done. I had a great training camp … the sky's the limit after this,” but he's not really considering anything beyond the win. “This is not new to me. I've been here for a long time. I'm going to go out there and have fun,” said Garcia.

Danny “Swift” Garcia hopes to win a title in a third weight division. Photo: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

“I'm going to win on Saturday, and I'm going to show you I'm the best at 160,” said Lara. “I don't know how, by knockout or the judges, but I know I'm going to come out on top.”

Former super middleweight world champion Caleb Plant of Las Vegas (22-2, 13 KOs) faces undefeated contender Trevor McCumby of Glendale, Arizona (28-0, 21 KOs) for the interim WBA Super Middleweight title.

With his baby daughter in his arms, McCumby said of Plant, “No animosity, but I'm coming for your heart,” predicting an eighth or ninth-round knockout.

Caleb Plant greets his fans at the MGM Grand Hotel during grand arrivals on Tuesday, September 10. Photo: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

Plant arrived holding his young son. When he heard a catcall of “bum” from the crowd, Plant took on the fan. “Say it to my face!”

Former 140-pound world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero of Las Vegas (15-2, 13 KOs) steps into the ring against Manuel Jaimes of Stockton, California (16-1-1, 11 KOs) opening the pay-per-view at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Rolly Romero and Manuel Jaimes stage a faceoff for fans at the MGM Grand Hotel lobby during grand arrivals. Photos: Rey Del Rio, Premier Boxing Champions

Romero was unusually quiet but, when prompted, predicted a third-round knockout. “I've fought the best in the damn world, you'll see.”

Jaimes, trained by Robert Garcia. “We've got the best sparring in the world there. He's lost before. He'll lose again.”

Before The Bell Lineup on Prime Video

Preceding the pay-per-view, former unified world champion “Cool Boy Steph” Stephen Fulton Jr. of Philadelphia (21-1, 8 KOs) will try to get back on track after a devastating loss to Naoya Inoue. Fulton faces Carlos Castro (30-2, 14 KOs) in the featherweight division.

Fulton and Castro headline a three-fight PBC on Prime Video lineup. The live-streaming action will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will be available free of charge to all fans, regardless of Prime membership. You don't need to buy the PPV later for access.

Hard-hitting welterweight Roiman Villa of Venezuela (26-2, 24 KOs) and Ricardo Salas of Mexico City (19-2, 14 KOs)  guarantee to bring the action in their ten-round bout.

Undefeated super featherweight prospect Jonathan Lopez of Orlando (16-0, 12 KOs) squares off against Richard Medina of San Antonio (15-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round bout to open the undercard. Lopez is trained by Canelo's head trainer Eddy Reynoso.

The Prime Video pay-per-view is available regardless of Prime membership. Other options for fans include a purchase through DAZN.com. Fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets including PPV.com. PPV.com offers the event including live reports and fan chats with former HBO Boxing broadcaster Jim Lampley and reporter Lance Pugmire.

NY Fights will report on all the action from Las Vegas during the week's events and late-breaking news from an expert perspective.