The Canelo Exhibition: Alvarez Dominates Berlanga in Las Vegas

Canelo's experience, talent, and ring intelligence are undeniable

Canelo Alvarez may need to face a real challenge to silence the critics /

By Latame Phillips

Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena played host to a one-sided affair on fight night as Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez toyed with Edgar Berlanga in what might as well have been dubbed "The Canelo Exhibition." The capacity crowd of 20,312 chanted "CANELO! CANELO! CANELO!" with every notable move from their hero, creating an electric atmosphere. Unfortunately, the fight failed to deliver the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico classic that fans had hoped for—a fight reminiscent of the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad brawl nearly 25 years ago.

Berlanga, the self-styled "Chosen One," proved to be anything but. Chosen for trash talk at every pre-fight press conference. Chosen to hurl insults even during the fight. And chosen, ultimately, to become another victim on Canelo’s road to the Hall of Fame. Alvarez wasted little time, sending Berlanga to the canvas in the third round before cruising to a dominant unanimous decision. The judges, David Sutherland, Max DeLuca, and Steve Weisfeld, scored the bout 117-110, 118-109, and 118-109 respectively.

To Berlanga’s credit, he showed grit, never fully checking out of the fight. But despite his pre-fight prediction to knock out Canelo in round six, the Puerto Rican fighter never truly came close to upsetting the Mexican legend. He was, as Canelo predicted, just another stepping stone.

"All I gotta do is be great for 36 minutes," Berlanga, now 22-1, 17 KOs, declared before the fight. "If it goes that long." It did. He lasted all 12 rounds, but never once looked like he was on the verge of greatness. Berlanga’s early career hype was built on 16 consecutive first-round knockouts against cherry-picked opponents. However, once he faced stiffer competition, the knockouts disappeared, and so did the aura. His five most recent fights before facing Canelo all went the distance, against opponents who’d been knocked out 11 times collectively by other fighters. In truth, Berlanga was an inflated hype job that collapsed on the biggest stage of his career.

Canelo, now 34, has long cemented his status as a legend. A fixture at the top of pound-for-pound rankings, Alvarez improved to 62-2-2. His experience, talent, and ring intelligence are undeniable. "Now what are they going to say?" Canelo asked after the fight. "I fight younger fighters. They say I fight older fighters. They always talk. ... My experience, my talent, my hard work, my intelligence, everything together."

But in a sport where we constantly ask, "What have you done for me lately?" Canelo may need to face a real challenge to silence the critics. Former 168-lb champion and current WBC interim champ at 175, Artur Beterbiev, looms as a potential opponent. Another option is a rematch against Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light heavyweight champion and the only fighter besides Floyd Mayweather to have dominated Alvarez in the ring.

Bivol represents unfinished business for Canelo. A technically brilliant fighter, Bivol has a laser focus and a methodical approach in the ring, using his jab and footwork to neutralize his opponents. His calm demeanor masks his ability to systematically break down anyone he faces. When the two squared off in 2022, Bivol’s clean, measured performance resulted in a unanimous decision that left many wondering if Alvarez had finally met his match. A rematch could be the compelling fight boxing needs, especially after the parade of lackluster opponents in the 160 to 168-pound division.

As for Berlanga, the hype that surrounded him may have just evaporated. What began as a string of knockouts against overmatched opponents ended in disappointment on the sport’s biggest stage. The "Chosen One" was chosen for a brutal lesson at the hands of Canelo, and now his future seems uncertain.

In the end, the night belonged to Canelo, as it so often does. But the question remains—who can truly challenge the man atop boxing’s Mount Rushmore?