Edgar Berlanga can win on Saturday evening if he can observe Dmitry Bivol’s blueprint for defeating Canelo Alvarez with high-volume punching. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has by no means been often called a fighter who throws a variety of punches, however his crew has studied Canelo’s loss to Bivol, and so they’ll observe his method.
Berlanga raved about Bivol’s jabs in his win over Canelo in 2022, which he’s more likely to attempt to mimic. Nevertheless, he doesn’t have the fuel tank to throw the variety of pictures that Bivol threw in opposition to Canelo.
“It’s harmful as a result of, in my view, you need to be lively within the struggle as a result of Canelo’s output isn’t that nice,” stated Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, discussing how Edgar Berlanga can doubtlessly defeat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.
“If you happen to return to the Bivol efficiency. What he did so properly [against Canelo] was his output was glorious. The punches in bunches, the at all times prepared to throw and to shoeshine with 20 seconds to go to win these rounds.
“You possibly can win rounds with Canelo Alvarez, however on the similar time, the extra lively you might be, the extra you’re placing your self underneath stress to be counted or stand in vary. So, you’ve bought to be good with it as properly.
“I maintain listening to folks say, ‘He’s [Canelo] not been stopped,’ and ‘He’s not been down.’ So what? What are you going to do? ‘Oh properly, we’ll overlook about that tactic. Edgar is likely one of the greatest punchers on the planet at 168. There’s little doubt about that.
“Can he damage Canelo? Everyone might be damage, particularly once you get to the again finish of your profession, however you’ve bought to try to put a dent on this man,” stated Hearn. “That’s simpler stated than completed. I wouldn’t be shocked if Edgar and the crew determined to field just a little and attempt to win a few of these early rounds.”
Canelo might be damage, however you’ve bought to hit him onerous or throw a flurry of pictures like Jose Miguel Cotto did when he had Alvarez damage.
“What you actually need to do is get via that midway stage within the struggle, having banked some rounds as a result of he can swap off just a little at occasions, Canelo, particularly down the straight. Within the John Ryder struggle the place he thought he was dominating, after which unexpectedly, he can come again and lose rounds,” stated Hearn.
Profitable early rounds in opposition to Canelo is not any assure that Berlanga will struggle properly sufficient to win the later rounds and get a call. If something, Canelo will struggle tougher if he loses the early rounds, and that will be dangerous for Berlanga.
