Former commentator Jim Lampley says Canelo Alvarez is able the place the followers will probably be upset if he doesn’t rating an early to mid-round knockout of Edgar Berlanga on Saturday.
Berlanga: The Hand-Picked Challenger
Lampley factors out that Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) failed to select the three fighters followers wished to see him face: David Benavidez, David Morrell, and Terence Crawford.
The Mexican star’s choice to decide on Berlanga (22-0 17 KOs) places him able the place he should knock him out early, however even when he does, he gained’t obtain huge credit score as a result of he’s not dealing with one of many elite.
As Lampley mentions, Berlanga’s 16 first-round knockouts that he scored in the beginning of his profession had been a product of matchmaking. Berlanga was matched by his earlier promoters at Prime Rank to construct a document that seemed good within the first place however was 100% empty of high quality opposition.
Nonetheless, Berlanga selected to go away them once they noticed that he was struggling once they stepped him up towards barely higher opposition.
When Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn signed Berlanga, he continued with the matchmaking that Prime Rank began his profession with after which labored to get him the title shot towards WBA, WBC, and WBO tremendous middleweight champion Canelo.
Berlanga isn’t prepared for the combat, however nobody expects him to be. That is enterprise: promoting a combat to the unknowing public involving a fighter with a glittering document who has a big following in sections of New York Metropolis.
“Canelo has put himself able the place something apart from a middle-round knockout based mostly on his talent and remaining energy will probably be a disappointment,” stated Jim Lampley to the Sean Zittel YouTube channel, speaking in regards to the thought state of affairs Canelo Alvarez is in defending towards the inexperienced Edgar Berlanga on Saturday evening
Canelo is beginning to present age, and he hasn’t knocked out anybody in three years since his Eleventh-round TKO win over Caleb Plant on November sixth, 2021. Alvarez’s incapability to knock out John Ryder and Jaime Munguia not too long ago confirmed that he can’t rating stoppages like he as soon as did. So, what we’re prone to see on Saturday is Canelo going the 12-round distance towards Berlanga in a more durable combat than anticipated.
“He should have a spectacular exhibiting towards Berlanga, or this can be a failed enterprise,” stated Lampley about Canelo. “If he goes the total distance and wins a transparent choice, that gained’t fulfill the viewers,” stated Lampley about Canelo.
“If he knocks out Berlanga in 4 or 5 rounds, that helps; that will probably be one other optimistic addition to the resume. But additionally, to a sure diploma, that’s what is anticipated. A tenth-round knockout, that’s anticipated,” stated Lampley.
Berlanga needs to make use of his jab to comply with Dmitry Bivol’s blueprint to defeat Canelo on Might 7, 2022. Bivol used extra than simply jabs to win that combat, however Berlanga appears extra centered on his means to remain on the skin and never get hit.
Berlanga is aware of that each one he must do is win, and it doesn’t matter if it goes the 12-round distance. He’ll make a ton of cash within the rematch with Canelo and would have many different well-paying fights provided to him.
“The underside line is he’s not preventing David Morrell, David Benavidez, or Terence Crawford. He’s not preventing any of the individuals who would have ranked above Berlanga on the opponent’s scale. It’s curious to me that selection he made,” stated Lampley.
Canelo didn’t wish to combat Morrell, Benavidez and Crawford. These would have been greater fights for positive, however they might have been dangerous for Canelo, and he may have misplaced. So as a substitute, he selected Berlanga, a no-hoper, one slight step above being a tomato can. He’s not from being that kind of fighter and has no probability of beating Canelo except he will get outdated in a single day.
“I anticipate a spirited effort from Berlanga on this combat, and I anticipate him to make use of the instruments that he has. Mainly, a straight ahead, predictable punching energy isn’t a functionality disguised by nuance or selection or the entire refined ways in which a puncher units up his work,” stated Lampley.
If Berlanga chooses to field, it gained’t be a spirited effort towards Canelo as a result of he gained’t wish to take a threat, particularly after he tastes his energy early. Berlanga doesn’t have the best chin, and he can’t take the sort of energy pictures from Canelo with out getting knocked out or dropped a number of instances.
We noticed how Marcelo Esteban knocked Berlanga down, and that man is a C-level fighter. Steve Rolls and Roamer Alexis Angulo additionally gave Berlanga enormous issues.
“In his first 16 first-round knockouts that started his profession, it was an especially eye-catching accomplishment, but it surely was eye-catching due to the sheer data.
“First 16 first-round knockouts in a row, however when you get previous that and start to investigate, most boxing specialists come to the conclusion that it’s matchmaking,” stated Lampley about Berlanga’s document.
Berlanga’s 16 first-round knockouts had been towards lesser opposition, however all it’s a must to do is take a look at who he fought and test their resumes. They had been terrible.
It was unusual that Prime Rank didn’t make any effort to step him up towards barely higher opposition till his seventeenth combat, and even then, it was nonetheless poor fighters. Why had been they so sluggish in matching Berlanga towards higher opposition? The impression that followers have is that they’re making an attempt to create a faux star to market him.
