Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga exchanged words and went face to face at the second leg of their two-city press tour in Los Angeles on August 6. Mexico’s undisputed super middleweight champion takes on the unbeaten Puerto Rican contender at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14, highlighting Mexican Independence Day weekend.
Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs), who brings to the ring his WBC, WBO and WBA belts, said he was going “to be different”. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), who fights for his first world title, promised “a firefight”.
“I respect my opponents, but I like to respond when they talk,” Canelo Alvarez said at the press conference held at Crystal Ballroom at The Beverly Hills Hotel in LA. I’m going to be at my best on September 14 and I’m not gonna have any compassion for him. I’m going to be different. He needs 20 of him to give me any problems.”
“I motivate myself because I love what I do. But this type of fight, and these types of fighters who talk to me like that, it motivates me even more. It gets me excited. I’m going to train like never before to win everything on September 14.”
“I’m proud to represent my country, especially on days like Mexican Independence Day and especially in a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup. I’m going to represent my country in fashion on September 14.”
“Take it easy man, because your turn is coming. He thinks he has more intelligence than me and everyone I’ve fought. C’mon bro, he’s not gonna be able to touch me. I wanna see him try.”
‘I’m coming to take his spot in this sport’
“I’m blessed to have this opportunity to be in the ring with a legend,” Edgar Berlanga said. This is going to be a night for the history books. Mexico vs. Puerto Rico fights at this magnitude stay in the history books forever.”
“I’m the type of fighter who comes to fight. I won’t be running. Canelo was once in my shoes and now it’s my time to make my name and become a legend in the sport of boxing.”
“This is gonna be a firefight. It’s gonna be different. This is a gladiator sport at the end of the day. We’re looking to take each other out. It’s going to the next level.”
“He’s fought everybody and he’s seen it all. The difference in this fight isn’t physical. It’s about IQ and intelligence in that ring. That’s gonna make the difference. You could have all the power in the world, but at this level, it’s about intelligence.”
“On September 14, it’s fireworks. He sees it in my eyes. I’m never scared. I’m coming to take his spot in this sport.”
In the co-main event, Cuban two-division world champion Erislandy Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) defends his WBA middleweight title against former two-weight champion Danny Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) of Philadelphia. Among the Canelo vs Berlanga undercard bouts, Nashville’s former super middleweight champion Caleb Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) and Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) of Yorkville, Illinois go head-to-head for the interim WBA 168 lbs title.
Plus, former 140 lbs champion Rolando Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1, 11 KOs) of San Jose, California at super lightweight. In addition, Philadelphia’s former unified super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs) meets Carlos Castro (30-2, 14 KOs) of Mexico at featherweight.