Canelo Alvarez knocks down Edgar Berlanga in an excellent middleweight title bout Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Picture/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS — Undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez outpointed challenger Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night time in entrance of a sold-out crowd at T-Cell Enviornment.
Making his eighth tremendous middleweight title protection, the 34-year-old Alvarez (61-2-2) dominated a lot of the battle, utilizing his expertise and tenacious pursuit to put on down the 27-year-old challenger, incessantly sending 20,312 followers right into a frenzy, typically chanting “Mexico! Mexico!” or “CA-NEL-O! CA-NEL-O!”
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Berlanga misplaced for the primary time in his profession, dropping to 22-1-0.
READ: Canelo Alvarez substantial favourite in Edgar Berlanga battle
“I am the perfect fighter on this planet” @Canelo let’s or not it’s recognized, he nonetheless is the perfect within the recreation. #CaneloBerlanga pic.twitter.com/06gNidr8gW
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 15, 2024
“I did good. Now what are they going to say? They stated I don’t battle younger fighters,” stated Alvarez, who was making his eighth tremendous middleweight title protection. “They all the time discuss, however I’m the perfect fighter on this planet.”
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Judges Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld scored the battle 118-109, and decide David Sutherland had it 117-110.
Berlanga virtually matched Alvarez’s punch output, however the champion was way more correct. Alvarez landed 43.3% (201 of 464) of the punches he threw, whereas Berlanga linked on simply 119 of 446 (26.7%). Alvarez additionally landed 49.1% (133 of 271) of his energy punches.
Alvarez, a four-division champion, nonetheless hasn’t ended a battle early since scoring a technical knockout of Caleb Plant almost three years in the past, when he turned the undisputed champion.
It appeared that drought may finish when a pointy left hook to the chin dropped Berlanga within the third spherical, and additional punishment from Alvarez gave the impression to be taking a toll. Alvarez landed a crisp proper uppercut within the fifth and a vicious hook within the sixth.
READ: Canelo Alvarez to defend his world titles vs Edgar Berlanga
Su Mano 🤝 Su Cara
This left hand to the jaw by @Canelo despatched Berlanga to the Canvas.#CaneloBerlanga pic.twitter.com/ipC9fioODN
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 15, 2024
However Berlanga wouldn’t go away, as he stood toe-to-toe and matched Alvarez’s machismo, refusing to be bullied by the person he’d name “my idol” after the battle. He additionally received wild within the seventh, lacking a wild overhand proper that precipitated him to fall on the canvas, and was warned for a headbutt to Alvarez’s face within the eighth spherical.
“I received slightly offended together with his techniques, however I’m Mexican man,” Alvarez stated. “It means rather a lot to battle on today. It’s an honor to characterize my nation on today.”
It marked one of many greatest nights in fight sports activities on Mexican Independence Day for Las Vegas, because the UFC made its debut on the Sphere, simply three miles down Las Vegas Boulevard, with seven Mexican fighters within the lineup.
Alvarez closed as a -1600 favourite at BetMGM Sportsbook, which implies a bettor would have needed to wager $1,600 to win $100.
The IBF eliminated Alvarez’s title after he selected to battle Berlanga quite than battle its No. 1 challenger, William Scull.
In a really uneventful WBA middleweight championship bout, 41-year-old Erislandy Lara (31-3-3) efficiently defended his title in opposition to Danny Garcia (37-4-0) with a TKO at three minutes of of the ninth spherical due to a straight left jab to the face. Garcia’s father and coach, Angel, requested the stoppage after the spherical.
“The punches I used to be touchdown have been hurting him,” stated Lara, the oldest energetic world champion in boxing. “That punch that ended the battle was an enormous shot.”
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After falling behind on the scorecards early throughout a battle for the interim WBA tremendous middleweight belt, Caleb Plant overcame being knocked down within the fourth, dominated the final 4 rounds, and earned a ninth-round TKO of Trevor McCumby (28-1-0). With time winding down, Plant unleashed a flurry of punches to McCumby’s head that prompted referee Allen Huggins to cease the bout on the 2:59 mark.
“I knew I had him damage and needed to go to work,” Plant stated. “It was time to get my belt. Now I’m able to go dwelling and play with my daughter.”
Within the first battle of the primary card on the pay-per-view occasion, Rolando Romero improved to 16-2-0 with a unanimous choice over Guide Jaimes (16-2-1), with all three judges scoring the battle with equivalent scores, 99-91.
