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Canelo Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga - Alvarez to Maintain Winning Run in Las Vegas

By Ryan Allan

13 Sep 2024

Ryan Allan 13 Sep 2024

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Canelo Alvarez tipped to retain titles
Alvarez has won 12 of his last 13 fights
Can Berlanga upset the odds in Las Vegas?

Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga set to battle it out on Saturday (Photo /Getty Images)

Big Fight Analysis

Canelo Alvarez steps into the ring again this weekend as he defends his WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles against unbeaten opponent Edgar Berlanga at T-Mobile Arena.

On paper, this matchup presents an intriguing challenge for the popular Mexican, with Berlanga’s knockout power and unbeaten record bringing a credible challenge.

Still, with the Mexican as short as 1/14 to win on the night, Berlanga faces a mountainous challenge if he is to leave Las Vegas with all the belts.

Alvarez’s Super-Middleweight Dominance

Boasting an outstanding 61-2-2 record, Canelo Alvarez has cemented himself as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters of the modern era. Since stepping up to the super-middleweight ranks, Alvarez has amassed a 9-0 record, while sweeping up the division to become a unified champion.

While the Mexican shows little sign of slowing down, Alvarez has gone the distance in each of his last five fights, including decision wins against John Ryder and, most recently, against Jaime Munguía.

Despite being in possession of perhaps the finest resume in boxing today, Alvarez has faced criticism for his choice of opponent this weekend. Fight fans have long called for a showdown with Mexican rival David Benavidez, and Alvarez's decision to avoid the former super middleweight champion has proven controversial, to say the least.

In choosing to bypass the highly-regarded Benavidez, and instead challenge the unheralded Berlanga, one has to wonder if the 34-year-old Canelo Alvarez is strategically avoiding his Mexican rival as he nears the latter stages of his career. Father time may yet come calling for the future hall-of-famer in a not so distant future.

Yet, a run of five TKO wins from seven bouts between 2018 and 2021 have undoubtedly cemented the Mexican's legacy as an all-time great. But the question of whether the Guadalajara native is slowing down or avoiding greater challengers must again be asked ahead of this weekend's Mexican Independence Day bout.

Berlanga’s Unbeaten Record - Deceptive or Dangerous?

While boasting an unbeaten 22-0 record, Edgar Berlanga faces a massive step-up in class in challenging the 168lb king Alvarez. After an explosive run of 16 consecutive KO´s, the “Chosen One” has since gone the distance in five of his last six bouts.

Berlanga did score a 6th-round TKO win in his most recent fight against Irishman Padraig McCrory, but questions over how much power the 27-year-old truly possesses have now been raised.

Indeed, a closer look at Berlanga´s previous opponents raises questions about how well-prepared the 27-year-old is to take on a fighter of Alvarez’s calibre. Billed as a knockout puncher, those five UD victories over the past three years have done little to enhance the notion that the Puertan Rican has enough in his locker to trouble the granite-chinned Mexican.

Ultimately, it's difficult to see how the inexperienced Berlanga will be able to apply his aggressive come-forward approach against the dominant champions.

While Alvarez has plenty of miles on the clock, the Mexican remains at least, at the back end of his prime. Boasting superior ring IQ, and plenty of his own power, Alvarez will surely rack up win number 62 this coming weekend.

Despite the exuberance brought to the occasion by the unbeaten Berlanga, a late stoppage or decision victory seems inevitable at the T-Mobile Arena.