Canelo vs. Berlanga Press Conference: What the Boxers Said
In the early hours of August 6, WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight champion (up to 76.2 kg) Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) from Mexico and Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) faced off for the first time ahead of their scheduled fight on September 14 in Las Vegas, USA.
Canelo praised his opponent and highlighted the historic rivalry between the two countries.
«This is a good fight for the people. Mexico versus Puerto Rico is always a great rivalry. This is a good fight for the people.
I never underestimate my opponents. I know Edgar Berlanga. He has shown his strength, but he has a big challenge ahead of him. This will be an amazing fight. He will show something new, and people will enjoy this fight.
I expect nothing less. He will give his all, and so will I. I enjoy this. It means a lot because this is history. We have big fights between Mexico and Puerto Rico. I will give it my all, as always. It will be a really good night for boxing. I guarantee that,» said Alvarez.
Berlanga also shared his thoughts on the upcoming fight and responded to criticism directed at him.
«There are a lot of doubts and hate surrounding this fight. But I have always faced challenges. I have faced hate my whole life. This is my chance to become a great champion, a boxing legend. It will be something incredible. Puerto Rico versus Mexico is the biggest rivalry in boxing.
I have always been underestimated. Even if I had a world title, I would be underestimated. When I turned pro, no promoter wanted to sign me. I had to dig deep and start knocking people out. And I started knocking people out in the first round – then people wanted to sign me.
Many people talk nonsense, saying I fight taxi drivers, and now I'm fighting a legend. They say I’ll get knocked out, that I’ll never win. So, I just keep my head down, keep working, stay humble, and show up in the ring,» said Edgar.
Key Fight Statistics
The 34-year-old Saul Alvarez will be fighting for the first time since May 2024. His recent fights:
- Unanimous Decision loss – Dmitry Bivol
- Unanimous Decision win – Gennadiy Golovkin
- Unanimous Decision win – John Ryder
- Unanimous Decision win – Jermell Charlo
- Unanimous Decision win – Jaime Munguia
KO Percentage in Recent Fights: 0%
Total Rounds in Recent Fights: 60
Combined Record of Recent Opponents: 171 wins, 7 losses, 2 draws
Career KO Percentage: 64%
Height: 171 cm
Reach: 179 cm
The 27-year-old Edgar Berlanga will be entering the ring for the first time since February 2024. His recent fights:
- Unanimous Decision win – Marcelo Coceres
- Unanimous Decision win – Steve Rolls
- Unanimous Decision win – Roamer Alexis Angulo
- Unanimous Decision win – Jason Quigley
- Sixth-round Knockout win – Padraig McCrory
KO Percentage in Recent Fights: 20%
Total Rounds in Recent Fights: 48
Combined Record of Recent Opponents: 116 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw
Career KO Percentage: 77%
Height: 185 cm
Reach: 185 cm