Another night, another big win for the sport’s biggest star.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez defended The Ring super middleweight championship for the eighth time in a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Edgar Berlanga. Scores were 118-109, 118-109 and 117-110 for Alvarez in their PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View headliner Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“My experience, my talent, my hardwork,” Alvarez said of the keys to his career-long success. at the highest level. “If you don’t have discipline and talent, you have nothing. You have to combine both.”
Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 knockouts) also defended his WBC, WBA and WBO titles. He set the tone early for what would come throughout the night.
Berlanga was never a shrinking violet at any point in the fight. He was also quickly outmatched, outfought and outboxed by the defending super middleweight king. Alvarez already established his left hook, especially to the body. Berlanga’s best bet was his long jab from his five-inch height and three-inch reach advantage. It took a few rounds to find the mark.
Any thoughts of Berlanga imposing his will went out the window in the second. The previously unbeaten Nuyorican had his moments but was also forced to clinch during consecutive sequences.
Alvarez was warned after he landed two shots on Berlanga’s back. Berlanga responded with a low blow, which drew the ire of referee Harvey Dock.
The lone knockdown of the fight came midway through the third. Alvarez connected with a left hook which sent Berlanga to the canvas. Berlanga banged his fists together as if to motivate himself. He beat the count and made it out of the round but already fell into a deep hole.
Momentum remained with Alvarez, although he was the more marked up of the two. Swelling developed under his left eye, while Berlanga barely looked like he was hit despite the punch stats telling a far different story. Alvarez ultimately landed 201-of-464 total punches (43.3%) including 133-of-271 power punches (49.1%).
The fifth round saw Alvarez connect with a right uppercut, followed by a left hook. Berlanga took the shot well and continued to trash talk the defending champion. Surprisingly, it was his only means of success on the night as Alvarez admittedly let him get inside his head.
“I admit I got a little angry,” Alvarez confessed. “I’m Mexican, man.”
Berlanga enjoyed by far his best round of the fight in the seventh. It was the only frame he claimed on all three scorecards, even if one round later than his absurd knockout prediction. His jab found a consistent home for the first time in the fight and he was able to land several right hands upstairs. Alvarez briefly took a backward step but never to the point of being hurt, much less hitting the canvas.
The successful turn didn’t last for long. Alvarez created greater separation between the two in the eighth and ninth rounds.
Berlanga was issued a hard warning for leading with his head in the eighth. Alvarez was clearly frustrated by the action as he responded with a right hand on the break. His right hand constantly pounded on Berlanga’s upper arm.
Both fighters were warned for illegal punches in the tenth. Berlanga connected with a right hand behind the head, while Alvarez once again threw and landed as the two were separated. Berlanga landed a last-ditch right hand midway through the round. He followed up with a left hook as Alvarez tried to respond with a combination.
Berlanga never disappeared, unlike Jermell Charlo who only fought to go the distance in this very venue 50 weeks ago. But he was also so far behind that he had no choice but to sell out if he wanted to win.
That moment never came, though Berlanga found a different approach down the stretch. Alvarez grew frustrated with Berlanga’s antics to where he would hit on the break and even walked away during one exchange. Berlanga made him pay with a left hook, though Alvarez’s granite chin helped him survive the moment.
The message was unequivocal in Berlanga’s corner headed into the final round. A knockout was needed but was never going to happen. Not on a weekend celebrating Mexico’s independence, a holiday Alvarez is honored to represent throughout his Hall of Fame-guaranteed career.
Months of trash talk and twelve rounds of one-sided action ended with a hug and a conversation in the end.
“I told him that he was my idol,” Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) confessed after the first loss of his career.
The normally outspoken figure also expressed regret for elements of the buildup to Saturday’s main event.
“Fighters usually get to have that interaction . I felt kind of bad that we had to give bad blood during the promotion.”
A big mouth helps sell an event. Big skills allow you to remain at the top of your game.
The return to this weekend was just the second for Alvarez since 2018, at a time when he ruled the date. All three of his fights with Gennadiy Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) came at this venue and on this weekend, including their Sept. 2022 trilogy clash.
Next up for the four-division champ is a return to the other Mexico-themed weekend next Cinco de Mayo.
“”It means a lot. I feel great, feel grateful,” said Alvarez of these occasions. “It’s an honor to represent my people on Mexican Independence Day. [Vegas] is my second home but Mexico is true home.”
Alvarez, however, was noncommittal on who would man the opposite corner.
“I’m gonna rest, I’m gonna enjoy my family and then we’re gonna decide,” insisted Alvarez.
The win came four months after Alvarez outpointed countryman Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs). He’s held The Ring championship and the WBC/WBA titles since a Dec. 2020 win over Callum Smith. Eight defenses have followed, including his Nov. 2021 knockout win over Caleb Plant to fully unify the division.
Saturday’s main event came about only after Alvarez vacated the IBF title. He was mandated to face William Scull but chose to instead go the WBA route, where Berlanga was due a title shot as its No. 1 contender. It interrupted his undisputed championship reign after three successful defenses of all four major belts.
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