Edgar Berlanga has set his sights on a fight with undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez after a devastating return to form on Saturday night.
Berlanga (21-0-0 16 KO) delivered an excellent stoppage of fellow unbeaten prospect Padraig McCrory in the sixth round of their bout at Caribe Royal Orlando in Florida when he sent the Irishman to the canvas with an overhand right. As McCrory stumbled to his feet, his corner threw in the towel to end a largely one-sided fight despite an encouraging first round from their fighter.
It marked Berlanga’s first knockout victory in six fights, having begun his career with 16 straight first-round stoppages. It was also a major statement of the American’s world title ambitions, and there is only one man in his focus.
“I want him now. We want Canelo next,” Berlanga told DAZN’s Chris Mannix in the ring. When asked if he is ready for that step up in quality, the 26-year-old said: “1,000 percent … look at [promoter] Eddie [Hearn] right there, he’s going to make it happen.”
Hearn had said ahead of the fight with McCrory that Berlanga needed to make a “statement” if he wanted to be taken seriously as a challenger to Canelo’s titles, and having done just that, the Matchroom Boxing chief is determined to make that fight happen.
“It’s only a matter of time,” Hearn said. “Puerto Rico against Mexico — that will be a huge event — Edgar Berlanga against Canelo Alvarez. And listen, maybe there is one more [fight until a Canelo bout], but I’ll tell you now … if the call came, he wouldn’t back down.”
“[Berlanga] wouldn’t run around the ring to try to survive for 12 rounds. He’d stand and fight with Canelo Alvarez. He’d give the fans a great, great fight, and that’s what people want to see.”
Asked about the possibility of a May fight – Canelo traditionally fights on Cinco de Mayo weekend – Hearn added: “Canelo Alvarez will fight anybody. I promise you that. Here, he’s got a young contender with plenty of heart, plenty of power, that will stand in front of him and fight him and that’s why it would be a great fight.”
Berlanga agreed with his promoter, insisting he would provide the biggest possible fight for Canelo and boxing fans. “Boxing needs that,” he said. “They need a Puerto Rican star versus a Mexican star. That’s what boxing needs. That would be the biggest fight of this year.”
Where Is Berlanga In The Canelo Pecking Order?
Despite an underwhelming 2023 that involved two points wins over John Ryder and Jermell Charlo, Canelo (60-2-2 39 KO) remains the biggest fight – and biggest payday – for any contenders in the middleweight and super-middleweight divisions. The fact the Mexican holds all four titles at 168lbs only adds to the clamor among his rivals to secure a potentially career-defining fight.
So, where does Berlanga fit into the list of contenders all calling out the undisputed champion? After the win over McCrory, ‘The Chosen One’ is now the No 1-ranked challenger by the WBA, so that puts him near the front of the line.
However, there are a few fighters who have been near the top of the various rankings who would feel they have earned a shot first at Canelo. Leading those calls are WBC and WBO No 1-ranked challenger Jaime Munguia and WBC interim super-middleweight champion David Benavidez.
Munguia (43-0-0 34 KO) has already fought once this year when he sent Ryder into retirement with a ninth-round stoppage last month. Meanwhile, Benavidez (28-0-0 24 KO) is still to return to the ring in 2024 following his excellent sixth-round victory over Demetrius Andrade in December.
Recent reports claim Benavidez is set to make a brief step up to light-heavyweight and a showdown with Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the WBC interim title in June, which would rule him out of facing Canelo until at least the end of the year.
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