BoxRec

Sources: Canelo Alvarez finalizing fight vs. Edgar Berlanga

Canelo Alvarez, boxing's top star, is in the process of finalizing a deal for a super middleweight championship defense vs. Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Mexico's Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) is the undisputed champion at 168 pounds, but it's possible the IBF title won't be on the line as his mandatory defense is overdue, sources said. Canelo-Berlanga will go head-to-head with UFC 306 -- the first sporting event to be held at the Sphere, a revolutionary venue that opened in Las Vegas last September.

Alvarez, 34, is ESPN's No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer. The all-time great has also collected titles at 154, 160 and 175 pounds. He hasn't scored a knockout since his win over Caleb Plant in November 2021, but he has scored knockdowns in each of his last three victories.

He's won four consecutive bouts since a decision defeat to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight in May 2022.

Alvarez will be installed as a major favorite against Berlanga, who has never challenged for a world title nor competed on the world-class level.

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is a 27-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, of Puerto Rican descent. He is coming off a sixth-round KO of Padraig McCrory in February. The brash fighter started his career with 16 first-round KOs, but his next five opponents lasted the distance as his competition stiffened.

Mexican Independence Day weekend has long been one of two holidays reserved for Alvarez (along with Cinco De Mayo weekend), a tradition that was held by Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya before him.

Alvarez missed his preferred Mexican Independence Day weekend fight last year when he defeated Jermell Charlo in late September, but now returns to the holiday he has headlined six times.

PBC will lead the event on Prime Video PPV with Matchroom Boxing involved as Berlanga's promoter, sources said. The PPV will also be available on DAZN, Matchroom's streaming partner.

It will be Canelo's third consecutive fight with PBC.

Wow, looking forward to this one. No boxing no life

Benavidez gave up, too.

https://x.com/wbcmoro/status/1815887950 ... QTF-w&s=19

That's some bs.

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 00:08 Benavidez gave up, too.

https://x.com/wbcmoro/status/1815887950 ... QTF-w&s=19

That's some bs.

What’s the bs part?

Benavidez going after bigger challenges. Smart not to jump up and down, unless it is worth it.

In the past Benavidez has said he'd go as high as Heavyweight.
Hardly any surprise Canelo v Benavidez didn't happen.

ironbeard wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 01:27

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 00:08 Benavidez gave up, too.

https://x.com/wbcmoro/status/1815887950 ... QTF-w&s=19

That's some bs.

What’s the bs part?

Benavidez going after bigger challenges. Smart not to jump up and down, unless it is worth it.

You don't think the Canelo fight would be worth it?

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑26 Jul 2024, 08:40

ironbeard wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 01:27

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 00:08 Benavidez gave up, too.

https://x.com/wbcmoro/status/1815887950 ... QTF-w&s=19

That's some bs.

What’s the bs part?

Benavidez going after bigger challenges. Smart not to jump up and down, unless it is worth it.

You don't think the Canelo fight would be worth it?

- They both want it at LH since Bena has the WBC Interim Title there, but Canelo now a prima donna on the level of TBE TUE wants him to know who's in the driver's seat.

Canelo's Berlanga fight proves that point because he can do whatever he wants. Hopefully for Sept 16th Mexican Independence Day this year.

what a grab money fight. Bena should stay at 175 and build up his legacy. The saudis would pay him big money.

What the hell

Said it himself
He can do what he wants, he has that pulling power and has earned it.
Match up ... Doesn't look a handover more a stay busy which gets busier every year he gets older.

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑26 Jul 2024, 08:40

ironbeard wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 01:27

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑24 Jul 2024, 00:08 Benavidez gave up, too.

https://x.com/wbcmoro/status/1815887950 ... QTF-w&s=19

That's some bs.

What’s the bs part?

Benavidez going after bigger challenges. Smart not to jump up and down, unless it is worth it.

You don't think the Canelo fight would be worth it?

Of course it would be worth it, but it is not worth sitting around waiting for it to happen. Benavidez needs some recovery time as I understand it. If he is in line for the winner Beterbiev v Bivol, he may have his choice between that fight and Canelo for next May. If he defeats Bivol or Beterbiev for the LHW belts, he should not do a Dawson v Ward scenario to make the fight. He should stay at LHW and build his own legacy. Canelo should go up.

There is absolutely no way Bena beats either Bivol or Beterbiev…

. . . in your opinion.

Certainly, Benavidez did not look strong enough, nor skilled enough to beat either of them v Gvozdyk, but Bena is not even 30 yet, and he apparently had health issues coming into the fight. He needs to mature into the weight if he is to have success, and if that happens he will not be able to return to SMW.

Both Beterbiev and Bivol are approaching (if not on) the downside of their careers. One will lose when they meet. The other may be put on the downside by what he has to do to win.

I remember people saying the same thing about Ali v Foreman. I really had my doubts that Ali could pull it off.

They gonna host a pair of press conferences in New York City and Los Angeles.

CALEB PLANT-TREVOR MCCUMBY TO LAND ON CANELO ALVAREZ-EDGAR BERLANGA PPV EVENT

Caleb Plant is no longer tasked with headlining the first standalone Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) Prime Video card.

He is, however, armed with a new fight date.

The Ring has confirmed that Plant’s bout with unbeaten fringe contender Trevor McCumby will now take place on Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The super middleweight fight will serve as part of the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View event.

Brunch Boxing’s Matthew “Bellini” Brown was the first to report the development.

Always good to see solid undercard fights

What's up with all the PBC fighters lately? Like did all of them just vanish out of thin air? PBC's cards have been few and far between. When they are set, they're always absolutely horrible and just throwing in mismatches and snoozers as filler. Anyways, Bumlanga will get destroyed. They need to put a Hannibal Lecter mask on him in case he goes insane and tries to bite Canelo.

JackSprocket wrote: ↑27 Jul 2024, 06:29 There is absolutely no way Bena beats either Bivol or Beterbiev…

Lets review in October

I'm picking this one to go the distance.

Obviously my prediction is very uncommon and unpopular.

I can totally see it as the likely outcome though.

Canelo will likely win a decision with the cards reading 115-113, 114-112, and 116-112.

It'll likely be a 7-4-1 looking decision win for Canelo.

Berlanga will look surprisingly good for the first 5 rounds.

He'll be too tired to do much anymore, by the middle of the 6th round though.

His big size advantage will prevent him from getting stopped or ko'd though.

He'll start to do alot of clinching by the middle of the 6th round.

Stephen Fulton Jr.'s return to stream free on Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga show

Former unified junior featherweight titleholder Stephen Fulton Jr. will face Carlos Castro in a featherweight bout, which will headline a three-fight preliminary undercard leading into the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga PBC Pay-Per-View on Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The three-bout prelims featuring Fulton-Castro will be available for free to all via live stream on Amazon’s PBC on Prime Video (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT), regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the Alvarez-Berlanga PPV.

The free portion of the stream will also include Roiman Villa facing Ricardo Salas in a 10-round welterweight matchup and featherweight prospect Jonathan Lopez meeting Richard Medina in an eight-rounder in the opener.

“Saturday, Sept. 14 is a stacked card that now features six champions and former champions with the addition of the former unified champion Stephen Fulton headlining PBC on Prime Video leading into the pay-per-view,’’ said Tom Brown, president of TGB Promotions, which works on PBC on its shows. “Fulton is a top pound-for-pound talent and he’s ready to remind everyone why he belongs on that list against the always-tough Carlos Castro.’’

Fulton bounce back from his first career defeat when he takes on the hard-charging contenderCastro in a 10-round featherweight clash that adds yet another intriguing showdown to a stacked night of action.

Fulton, 21-1 (8 KOs), a 30-year-old from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, most recently fought Naoya Inoue last July, suffering the first loss of his career. He’ll put his slick boxing skill set to the test in his featherweight debut against Castro.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I’m glad to be back in the ring,” Fulton said. “I’ve been in the gym and learning new techniques with Bozy Ennis that I can’t wait to show my fans and the boxing world. This is a tremendous event. I plan to show out on my way to becoming a two-division world champion.”

Castro, 30-2 (14 KOs), also 30, most recently took a 10-round unanimous decision against Belmar Preciado in April. A resident of Phoenix who emigrated to the U.S. from Sonora, Mexico, as a boy, Castro has fought at 126 pounds or higher in each of his past three fights – all wins. His only two career defeats have come against Brandon Figueroa at featherweight and Luis Nery at junior featherweight.

“Fighting Fulton is going to bring the best out of me, I can promise you that,’’ Castro said. “These opportunities only come along so often. I will take advantage of it because my life has been boxing for as long as I can remember. Come Sept. 14, I will be the best entertainer of all the boxers that night.”

The main broadcast of the Alvarez-Berlanga PPV also features middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara facing former two-division titlist Danny Garcia, former super middleweight belt holder Caleb Plant meeting Trevor McCumby for an interim 168-pound title, and former junior welterweight titleholder Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero taking on Manuel Jaimes.

In addition to finding the Alvarez-Berlanga PPV on Amazon Prime, viewers can also purchase the card through DAZN and PPV.com.

Berlanga gets stopped. He was chosen for a reason.

Price is $89.99