Sun Sep 15 11:08:54 UTC 2024: ## Canelo Alvarez Defeats Berlanga in Unanimous Decision, Retains Super Middleweight Title
**Las Vegas, Nevada** – Mexican boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez successfully defended his unified super middleweight world title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
The fight, which took place on Mexican Independence Day weekend, saw Alvarez dominate the 12 rounds, dropping Berlanga in the third round with a powerful left hook. Despite a valiant effort from Berlanga, who entered the fight with a perfect 16-0 record, Alvarez’s superior experience and power proved too much to overcome.
Alvarez, who improved to 62-2-2 (39 KOs), showcased his relentless pressure throughout the fight, repeatedly pushing Berlanga back into the corner and landing debilitating body blows. “I did good,” said Alvarez after the fight. “Now what are they going to say? I fight younger fighters? Before they say I fought older fighters. Now what are they going to say? They always talk.”
The judges scored the fight 118-109 and 117-110 in favor of Alvarez, who maintained his WBA, WBC, and WBO titles. The victory was his fifth consecutive points victory, with his last knockout coming against Caleb Plant in November 2021. Despite this, Alvarez demonstrated his continued power by dropping Berlanga for the fourth consecutive fight.
Berlanga, who was looking for his first stoppage victory since his first 16 fights, fell to 22-1. Despite the loss, the 27-year-old showed respect for his opponent, stating, “I was telling him that he’s my idol. Since I was a kid, I looked up to him.”
The win, which came on a day celebrating Mexican Independence, was particularly meaningful for Alvarez. “It means a lot,” said Alvarez. “It’s an honor for me to represent my country on this day. I feel proud about it.”
As for what’s next for the four-division champion, who has been accused of avoiding rising star David Benavidez, Alvarez said he would take some time to consider his options. “I’m going to rest with my family now and then I’m going to decide.”
In the co-main event, Erislandy Lara successfully defended his WBA middleweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Danny Garcia. The fight, which saw Lara dominate the pace, ended with a straight left that dropped Garcia to his knee. The 41-year-old Lara, now 31-3-3 (19 KOs), sent Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) to his first defeat since July 2022.
First Piper 