Set for the middle of this month, Canelo Alvarez takes on Edgar Berlanga in what should be a bout full of fireworks in Sin City. In mid-September, the champion is scheduled to defend his WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles against Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Alvarez is coming off an excellent win over Jaime Munguia earlier this year on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas. In that bout, he won via unanimous decision even though it was an overall competitive fight after he scored a knockdown in the fourth round of the bout. Meanwhile, the challenger currently holds an undefeated record of 22-0 and has scored a sensational 17 knockout wins thus far in his young career.
For this report, SBS will be exploring what to look for from each fighter along with a selected winner and even more information about boxing wagering and beyond.
Coming into this fight, Canelo is of course one of the most talented and successful fighters of his era. With an overall record of 61-2, Alvarez has not lost a bout since 2022 when he fell to Dmitry Vibol at the T-Mobile Arena. Since then, he has notched four consecutive unanimous decision victories. This includes sensational victories over Gennady Golovkin, John Ryder, and Jermell Cherlo. In the last bout, Alvarez defended his titles against the former light middleweight undisputed champion Charlo. The latter moved up two weight classes for the bout, but Canelo ended up winning via unanimous decision. Per sources, the champion was able to overpower his opponent who turned in an underwhelming performance by his usually lofty standards.
In the bout prior to Charlo, Alvarez made his second defense of the undisputed super middleweight crown against WBO interim champion Ryder at Estadio Akron. This was in Alvarez’s hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, and also marked Canelo’s first bout in his home nation in over eleven years. In terms of scoring, the champion knocked off Ryder via unanimous decision after the judges scored the fight 118-109 (twice) and 120-107 in his favor after 12 rounds.
Covered in this space before, Alvarez is known to be an amazing counterpuncher, able to exploit openings in his opponents’ guards while also avoiding punches with his body movement. He is also one of the sport’s biggest draws and is a formidable body puncher. As of this article’s writing, he is ranked as the world’s fourth-best active boxer, pound for pound by The Ring and BoxRec.
Challenging Canelo is Berlanga who has the nickname “The Chosen One” thanks to his own very impressive resume. The native of Brooklyn, New York, he began boxing at the age of seven, gathering an amateur record of 162-17. This includes two medals (one gold and one bronze) in the U.S. Youth National Championships in Reno in 2013 and 2015, where he won the gold. Since making his professional debut on April 29, 2016, he has gone on to compile a record of 22-0, with 17 knockouts, 16 coming by first-round stoppage.
In the bout prior to this one, he faced Padraig McCrory in a 12-round bout at super middleweight. He ended up winning that fight by TKO in the sixth round. In the three fights prior to squaring up with McCrory, Berlanga had notched five unanimous decision wins in a row over his opponents. This includes him winning the vacant NABO super middleweight title over Marcelo Esteban Coceres back in 2021 and also four subsequent title defenses of that belt. Certainly, though, this matchup against Canelo will be his biggest test yet as he takes on one of the most talented fighters of his generation. That said, Berlanga will be up for the challenge as evidenced by his strong track record of overwhelming his opponents.
Another spectacular bout for the month of September, take Canelo to score the win here. While Berlanga certainly is an accomplished fighter in his own right, few have been able to beat Alvarez outside of future boxing Hall of Famers like Floyd Mayweather and Bivol. Perhaps though, there is an opportunity for an upset here if Alvarez is not adequately prepared for this bout and overlooks his younger opponent. That said, Canelo is still the pick barring a surprise or two in this bout or the lead-up to it.
Once you are all squared away with your boxing analysis and background, make sure to check out the awesome array of information available to you over at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on the latest boxing wagering markets, make sure to check out the boxing betting sites rundown which goes over all of the latest updates on the sport and beyond. On a separate note for those on the go, the best betting apps breakdown is an excellent page to bookmark. Here you can learn more about the nuances of mobile betting and how you can stay on top of the action. Finally, for those who are eligible and interested, make sure to peruse the VIP sports betting sites guide which goes over the nuances of VIP wagering and if it might be right for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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