Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga came face-to-face at the final press conference ahead of their championship bout, which is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14. The highly anticipated showdown will see Mexico’s unified WBC, WBO, and WBA super middleweight champion, Canelo, defend his titles against the undefeated Puerto Rican contender, Berlanga. Both fighters are eager to prove themselves on one of boxing’s biggest stages.
Canelo Alvarez, returning to the ring for the second time in 2024, is focused on showing the world that he remains the best in the super middleweight division. "It’s easy to say you’ll knock me out, but it’s much more difficult to do it," Canelo stated confidently at the press conference, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. "Saturday night is gonna be very difficult for him, for sure. I’ve prepared for the knockout. I love the feeling of a knockout and I’m gonna do my best to get it done."
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The fight between Canelo and Berlanga is generating excitement, particularly due to the historic rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico in the sport of boxing. "I just can’t wait for Saturday night. This is going to be a great matchup for the people. Mexico vs. Puerto Rico is always exciting," Canelo added.
The night will be packed with action, with Erislandy Lara defending his WBA middleweight title against two-division world champion Danny Garcia in the co-feature. Additionally, former super middleweight champion Caleb Plant will battle Trevor McCumby for the interim WBA 168 lbs title, while Rolando Romero takes on Manuel Jaimes in a super lightweight clash. Among the preliminaries, former super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton faces off against Carlos Castro at featherweight.
For Canelo, fighting on Mexican Independence Day holds a special significance. "It’s an honor to fight on this date. Mexican Independence Day is very important for us. It’s very special, and I’m very proud to fight for the Mexican people," he expressed. As he prepares for the fight, Canelo remains focused, stating, "I always put 100% into my fights and into training, no matter who I’m fighting. It’s the same mentality every fight. This is no exception. I’ve had a great training camp and I’m ready."
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