In the world of boxing, Mexican Independence Weekend is a big fight weekend and, in recent times, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KO’s) has consistently been at the forefront of it.
Saturday night was no different than the recent past and, for this one, boxing went into the big rivalry bag with a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup.
There was a lot of pre-fight talk and hype, and many believed we would see the first stoppage from Canelo in three years, but that would not be the case.
Canelo took on young, previously undefeated contender Edgar Berlanga (22-1, 17 KO’s) which most felt was an undeserving opportunity for Berlanga. Even with the negative talk and seeming disinterest, though, fans still showed up at the gate.
The fight was more entertaining than most Canelo fights in recent times, and Berlanga showed enough heart and grit to push forward.
We saw a lot of things in this fight. There were some dirty tactics employed by Berlanga, such as headbutts, rabbit punches, and shots below the belt line. Canelo appeared aggravated by these tactics, throwing punches while the referee would break the two apart, and punching as the referee jumped in.
We also saw a fun matchup, as Canelo came out watching, moving slowly and setting up traps while Berlanga remained cautious.
In round three, the Canelo left hook made an appearance and quickly dropped the young Berlanga to his backside. The Puerto Rican banged his gloves together and shook his head as he knew he had fallen into Canelo’s trap.
Following the knockdown, Berlanga made it known the night would not end early as he returned fire and, while nothing solid landed to make any impact, it was enough to make Canelo step back and reset.
Berlanga had said he would end it in six, and Canelo had predicted an eighth round stoppage, but neither happened, and the fight continued with Canelo touching up Berlanga, and Berlanga refusing to retreat or run.
There was some distress expressed on the part of Berlanga’s corner during the last few rounds, with the Puerto Rican fighter being continuously asked if he was awake. Berlanga responded he was ok, but it was clear he wasn’t going to win.
After the final bell sounded, Canelo and Berlanga embraced. Berlanga called Canelo his idol and apologized for the pre-fight talk. Canelo told him to stay active and fight on.
Canelo picked up his fifth win in a row, but it was also his fifth straight victory on the scorecards, leaving questions about his ability to finish fights in his 20th year as a professional. He will, of course, retain his place as one of the best fighters in the world, but we are, for sure, seeing him in the twilight of his career.
