Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez dominated Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas on September 15, 2024. The Mexican star retained his WBA, WBO, and WBC belts in a routine victory on Mexican Independence Day.
Canelo dropped Berlanga at one point in the fight, securing a near shutout on the scorecards. The win marked his 66th professional bout.
After the fight, Canelo didn't hold back. He addressed his critics head-on:
"I'm the best fighter in the world. I did good. Now what they gonna say? I tried younger fighters, they always say I fought older fighters. They always talk."
Canelo also praised his opponent's respect and explained his strategy:
"He said he respects me so much he feels bad the way he acted. He did good … I got a little angry. I'm Mexican, man. It could've been [over in the third] but Eddie slows me down and it works. I put on a great show for my people."
The champion expressed pride in representing Mexico:
"The victory means a lot. I feel great, I feel grateful. It's an honour for me to represent my country on this day. Mexican Independence. I feel proud about it. Some people say that you don't love me but guess what? You are here to support me. Viva Mexico, Cabrones!"
As for his future plans, Canelo kept it simple: "I'm gonna rest, enjoy my family right now and then decide [what's next]."
Meanwhile, Terence Crawford, widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter, took to Twitter right after the fight, posting: "Put me in the game coach!" The 36-year-old from Omaha has been calling for a fight with Canelo for about a year, despite being two weight divisions below him.
Crawford recently made his debut at super-welterweight and seems convinced he'd pose a bigger challenge to Canelo than Berlanga did. He's even hinted at retiring if the fight doesn't happen.
While Canelo hasn't directly addressed Crawford's challenge, he's said he'll listen to offers. There's a chance we might see a big-money proposal from Crawford's Saudi Arabian backers soon.
