Resendiz Replaces Crawford As WBA Super Middleweight Champ

The WBA has also put Bektemir Melikuziev to the No. 1 contender position. Melikuziev returns as the top contender after the WBA had previously put Canelo Alvarez above him. Canelo is currently recovering from elbow surgery after his Crawford loss. This all means that Melikuziev could target the winner of the Resendiz-Berlanga fight.

The Approach

Resendiz will likely approach Berlanga much like he did in his upset victory over Caleb Plant: by cutting off the ring and forcing a brawl. Resendiz doesn’t just look for a single knockout punch; instead, he relies on a high punch count, as he threw 600 punches against Plant. His primary tactical goal will be to target Berlanga’s body early. By digging to the body, Resendiz aims to force him to drop his hands. Defensively, Resendiz will stay tucked behind a tight high guard and use head movement to slip inside Berlanga’s reach advantage.

Following his knockout loss to Hamzah Sheeraz, Berlanga will likely avoid a brawl. He needs to use his left jab to keep Resendiz on the outside. While Berlanga is famous for his early-round knockouts, his 12-round performance against Canelo Alvarez proved he can box. The key for Berlanga will be the timed right hand. Resendiz often leaves himself open when throwing combinations, and Berlanga has the hand speed to catch him coming in. Berlanga must also use lateral movement to prevent Resendiz from pinning him against the ropes—a position where Sheeraz was able to exploit him.