Eddie Hearn insists Canelo Alvarez isn’t selecting a delicate contact together with his choice of Edgar Berlanga for the September 14th title protection on September 14th on the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
Matchroom promoter Hearn factors out that Berlanga is just like Canelo’s earlier opponent, Jaime Munguia, and he considered it as a “pretty even combat” final Might. He says Berlanga is obligatory for Canelo’s WBA and is the best choice out there.
Berlanga: A Obligatory Challenger, Not a Tender Contact
Berlanga was David Morrell’s obligatory for his WBA ‘common’ tremendous middleweight title, however he didn’t need to combat him for apparent causes. Morrell would have probably overwhelmed Berlanga fairly simply. Canelo inherited Berlanga as his WBA obligatory after Morrell moved as much as 175, however he didn’t need to combat him if he didn’t need to.
If Canelo didn’t need the Berlanga combat, he might have ignored him as he’d finished together with his WBC obligatory David Benavidez and IBF obligatory William Scull.
Hearn promoted Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), so it wouldn’t make sense for him to confess that Canelo deliberately selected a straightforward opponent for his September 14th combat. You wouldn’t anticipate Hearn to inform it like it’s and say Canelo picked an terrible fighter with a dreadful report who doesn’t fee a title shot.
Hearn’s View: Canelo By no means Geese a Problem
“I don’t assume so. Simply earlier than the Golovkin combat, he fought Dmitry Bivol, and he obtained beat,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to Boxing Information, reacting to being advised that some followers really feel Canelo Alvarez is being matched towards beatable opposition.
When Canelo selected Bivol for a combat in 2022, Bivol had just lately fought Craig Richards and seemed horrible in that combat. Bivol gained, nevertheless it was shut, and he seemed timid. It’s believed that Canelo chosen Bivol due to how he seemed towards Richards. If not for that, Canelo would have steered away from him and averted a loss.
“Earlier than that, he fought [40-year-old] Gennadiy Golovkin in a trilogy,” mentioned Hearn about Canelo. Even Jermell Charlo, it’s all very properly after the very fact, however when the combat will get made, and it’s the undisputed 154-pounder stepping as much as 168, then swiftly, he [Canelo] wins simply, and it’s a mismatch.”
Followers on social media had been extremely important of Canelo for selecting to combat Jermell Charlo final 12 months as a substitute of defending towards David Benavidez. They weren’t praising that choice, and few thought Jermell might win. Followers noticed it as a cherry-pick, and that’s what it was.
It was one other instance of Canelo combating an opponent two divisions beneath him as a result of he’d finished it towards Amir Khan in 2016. Subsequent 12 months, Canelo will probably face one other fighter who comes up with two divisions when he fights Terence Crawford. Many imagine a combat is within the pipeline between Canelo and Crawford subsequent 12 months in the event that they win their subsequent fights.
“Jaime Munguia was on an ideal run [when he fought Canelo],” mentioned Hearn. “He stopped John Ryder. I don’t see too many dissimilarities between Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga. That’s a reasonably even combat, however Edgar Berlanga is the [WBA] obligatory [for Canelo].”
Munguia was a fighter matched towards mediocre opposition all through his 11-year profession. The most effective two opponents Munguia had fought earlier than getting the Canelo combat final Might had been 38-year-old Sergiy Derevyanchenko and 35-year-old John Ryder. These had been B-level fighters at finest by the point Munguia fought them. If he’d confronted both man again in 2016, he’d have misplaced.
Some followers really feel that Munguia’s total profession was primarily based on him combating marginal opposition simply to get the Canelo combat. Munguia had been linked to Alvarez’s identify from the very starting as a possible future opponent.
Restricted Choices for Canelo
“William Scull is the [IBF] obligatory. It’s a a lot better combat than William Scull,” mentioned Hearn about Berlanga being a greater choice than Scull. “It’s Mexico vs. Puerto Rico [for the Berlanga fight].”
After all, Berlanga is a greater choice than Scull for Canelo as a result of he’s from New York, has followers within the metropolis, and was proven on ESPN and DAZN to the American public. Scull is a fighter that the IBF ranked excessive primarily based on wins over obscure opposition, and he’s primarily based in Germany. Berlanga continues to be not a good selection for Canelo, however he’s higher than Scull.
“Who else can Canelo Alvarez combat proper now apart from David Benavidez?” mentioned Hearn. “For no matter motive, he’s moved to mild heavyweight, in order that doesn’t appear to be it’s occurring.”
Hearn is forgetting David Morrell. Canelo might have fought him, however he selected to not. As a substitute, Canelo picked Berlanga, and it’s straightforward to see why.
“So, I feel Edgar Berlanga is an efficient choose. I feel he’ll give him an excellent combat, and it’ll be an excellent occasion. However I don’t see loads of different choices on the market for Canelo Alvarez, if I’m trustworthy. One factor I can say about Canelo Alvarez is he won’t ever duck a problem. There’s nobody he’s afraid of,” mentioned Hearn.
Berlanga is a horrible choose for Canelo, and his reputation has taken a success as a result of he determined to combat him. Hearn isn’t about to criticize Canelo’s choice of Berlanga as a result of he promotes the New Yorker, and the combat will herald cash. There gained’t be anything for Berlanga as a result of Canelo will blow him out of the water.
After Berlanga loses, Hearn can let him go as a result of he’ll have served his objective. There gained’t be any extra massive fights for Berlanga, and he gained’t be price protecting on Matchroom’s payroll. After dropping to Canelo, Berlanga can solely hope for a combat towards Caleb Plant, which he’ll probably lose.
