Edgar Berlanga can win on Saturday night time (reside on DAZN PPV) if he can comply with Dmitry Bivol’s blueprint for defeating Canelo Alvarez with high-volume punching. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has by no means been generally known as a fighter who throws quite a lot of punches, however his crew has studied Canelo’s loss to Bivol, they usually’ll comply with his method.
Berlanga raved about Bivol’s jabs in his win over Canelo in 2022, which he’s more likely to attempt to mimic. Nevertheless, he doesn’t have the gasoline tank to throw the variety of photographs that Bivol threw in opposition to Canelo.
“It’s harmful as a result of, for my part, it’s a must to be lively within the struggle as a result of Canelo’s output isn’t that nice,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, discussing how Edgar Berlanga can doubtlessly defeat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.
“In the event you return to the Bivol efficiency. What he did so properly [against Canelo] was his output was glorious. The punches in bunches, the all the time keen to throw and to shoeshine with 20 seconds to go to win these rounds.
“You’ll be able to win rounds with Canelo Alvarez, however on the identical time, the extra lively you might be, the extra you’re placing your self underneath stress to be counted or stand in vary. So, you’ve obtained to be sensible with it as properly.
“I maintain listening to individuals say, ‘He’s [Canelo] not been stopped,’ and ‘He’s not been down.’ So what? What are you going to do? ‘Oh properly, we’ll overlook about that tactic. Edgar is likely one of the greatest punchers on this planet at 168. There’s little doubt about that.
“Can he damage Canelo? Everyone could be damage, particularly while you get to the again finish of your profession, however you’ve obtained to attempt to put a dent on this man,” mentioned Hearn. “That’s simpler mentioned than accomplished. I wouldn’t be shocked if Edgar and the crew determined to field a bit of and attempt to win a few of these early rounds.”
Canelo could be damage, however you’ve obtained to hit him onerous or throw a flurry of photographs like Jose Miguel Cotto did when he had Alvarez damage.
“What you actually need to do is get by that midway stage within the struggle, having banked some rounds as a result of he can change off a bit of at occasions, Canelo, particularly down the straight. Within the John Ryder struggle the place he thought he was dominating, after which impulsively, he can come again and lose rounds,” mentioned Hearn.
Successful early rounds in opposition to Canelo isn’t any assure that Berlanga will struggle properly sufficient to win the later rounds and get a call. If something, Canelo will struggle more durable if he loses the early rounds, and that might be unhealthy for Berlanga.
