Erislandy Lara faces Danny Garcia in the co-feature
As expected, Canelo Alvarez’s next title defense will see him face WBA mandatory challenger Edgar Berlanga in the main event of a September 14th Prime/DAZN PPV.
The press release names only the WBA, WBO, and WBC titles, suggesting that William Scull may not have accepted a step-aside deal after all.
I’ve already said my piece on this one, but in short: Berlanga (22-0, 17 KO) is an unappealing opponent by every metric save nationality and Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KO) should have little trouble ending his five-fight knockout drought if he keeps his foot on the gas. The WBA is a joke for refusing to enforce their mandatory until David Morrell Jr was out of the picture and the WBC is a joke for refusing to enforce their mandatory at all.
“I am very happy for this fight between Mexico and Puerto Rico,” said Álvarez. “It’s exciting to be part of another great Mexico vs. Puerto Rico battle inside the ring because historically we have always offered unforgettable fights full of passion. I am proud to contribute to this legacy and facing an opponent like Edgar Berlanga adds even more excitement and meaning to this event.”
“First and foremost, I want to thank the good Lord for putting me in this position,” said Berlanga. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I deserve to be here, and I’m going to shock the world and silence the critics by delivering a masterful performance and knocking out Canelo Álvarez on Sept. 14. I will prove that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from Gómez to Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I will reclaim what is rightfully ours. I’m ready to make this a historic firefight, continuing the greatest rivalry in boxing: Puerto Rico vs Mexico. Vamos arriba, puñeta!”
The co-feature sees WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (30-3-3, 18 KO) face Danny Garcia (37-3, 21 KO) in a fight that’s been on the table for several years. Lara was last seen smoking mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa in March, making 2024 his first multi-fight year since 2019, while Garcia hasn’t fought at all since beating a hobbled Jose Benavidez Jr in his 2022 super welterweight debut.
That effort somehow earned Garcia the no. 11 spot in the WBA’s middleweight rankings.
“My fight with Danny García will be a classic battle between two legendary fighters of our era,” said Lara. “We’ve both faced the best, have impressive resumes and have competed at the top level for a long time. I’m excited for this fight. I encourage all my Mexican fans to tune in on Mexican Independence Day, bring your flags and support this great event. I will represent not only Cuba, but also Mexico on this day against Puerto Rico. To everyone watching at T-Mobile Arena and on the pay-per-view on Prime Video, you will witness greatness in the ring throughout the action-packed night of boxing. I look forward to putting on a show and being the first to knock out Danny García. This will be an epic showdown!”
“This is a legacy fight and an opportunity to win a championship in my third weight class,” said García. “Lara is a great champion who’s been around for a while, but so have I. On Sept. 14, I’m bringing the Danny García show to Las Vegas and making it a historic night.”
This is just not a good card, and to make matters worse, it’s butting heads with UFC 306 at the Sphere that evening. Canelo’s star power is the only pillar holding this thing upright and it is in no way up to the task.
