Written by: Sean Crose
Edgar Berlanga is oozing confidence. Undefeated in his career with seventeen out of twenty-two opponents knocked out, the twenty-seven-year-old is convinced that he has what it takes to defeat Canelo Alvarez for the super middleweight title in their upcoming Las Vegas bout. Despite facing skepticism from most quarters, Berlanga stands firm in his belief.
“I feel like this is my moment to truly shine,” he expressed in a recent interview. In another conversation, Berlanga mentioned, “Who I was in my last fight is not who I will be on September 14th (the day of the Canelo fight).” When talking about Canelo, the bold challenger asserted, “He’s not giving me the proper attention and he doesn’t respect me. I’m going to knock him out.” Despite doubts from many, Berlanga remains resolute in his convictions.
While many doubt Berlanga’s chances, the boxing community initially favored seeing Canelo fight David Benavidez instead. Opting for Berlanga could have led some to believe that Canelo selected a less challenging opponent. However, this only serves to motivate Berlanga further. Securing the WBC and WBO super middleweight belts as an underdog would make his triumph even more rewarding and remarkable.
Canelo, being amongst the most talented and popular fighters globally, is understandably the favorite in the upcoming fight. With an impressive track record including wins over Miguel Cotto, Sergey Kovalev, Gennady Golovkin, and Daniel Jacobs, Canelo is rightfully held in high esteem. Nonetheless, there is a sentiment that Canelo might be on the decline after many years of success. If this is indeed the case, Berlanga will be prepared to seize the opportunity in their impending match. But as the old adage goes, old habits die hard.
