Eddie Hearn: Ready or not, Edgar Berlanga had to take Canelo Alvarez fight

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has characterised Edgar Berlanga’s upcoming struggle with celebrity Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as a suggestion that could not be refused.

Puerto Rico’s Berlanga, 27, could also be joyful to have landed a dream shot at Canelo’s tremendous middleweight titles on Sept. 14 at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas. However that dream might be removed from actuality as Berlanga faces a tall order towards arguably boxing’s finest guess in Alvarez.

Though the percentages are towards him, Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Boxing and Berlanga’s promoter, believes his fighter is able to make his likelihood rely.

“You by no means know should you’re prepared for a fighter like Canelo Alvarez till you get in there as a result of the issue is, he is so elite,” Hearn informed DAZN. “He [Berlanga]’s obtained a giant coronary heart. He is obtained massive perception, and he is able to carry out on Sept. 14. It is Mexico towards Puerto Rico.”

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) made a case for himself after stopping Eire’s Padraig McCrory in six rounds final February. The emphatic win made Berlanga the WBA’s obligatory challenger at 168 kilos, with attainable fights towards Mexico’s Jaime Munguia and Christian Mbilli of France falling by.

Berlanga was then chosen by Canelo as his Mexico’s Independence Day struggle evening opponent. Because the announcement of the struggle, Berlanga and Canelo have engaged in a confrontation, with the previous vowing to make use of his jab and ring IQ to bother the latter. 

“There is not rather a lot within the hole between each fighters,” Hearn mentioned. “And perhaps Edgar may afford a Munguia or Mbilli, however they weren’t there they usually did not occur. While you get the chance as obligatory, you’ve gotta take it.”

Hearn took the chance to announce that undefeated Diego Pacheco is on the right track to face the winner of Canelo-Berlanga following his sixth-round KO win over Maciej Sulecki final Saturday. Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs) made it 10 stoppage victories in his final 11 fights after Sulecki was counted out from physique photographs that despatched him to the canvas.

“I have a look at it a little bit bit like Diego,” Hearn mentioned. “He is gonna be obligatory to the Canelo Alvarez-against-Berlanga winner. He in all probability wants that friction struggle, however you by no means know till you are within the deep finish.”

Bernard Neequaye is a sports activities journalist with a specialty in boxing protection. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He may be reached on X (previously Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and thru e-mail at bernardneequaye@gmail.com.