Canelo Alvarez retains super middleweight title with dominant win over Berlanga

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez successfully defended his unified super middleweight titles with a commanding unanimous decision over Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Alvarez, the Mexican boxing superstar, knocked down Berlanga in the third round and maintained control throughout the fight, delivering punishing blows to the previously unbeaten challenger.

Alvarez stunned Berlanga late in the ninth round with a powerful right hand, and between rounds, Berlanga’s corner asked, “Are you awake?” Despite being warned for an intentional headbutt, Berlanga taunted Alvarez in the 12th, but he couldn’t deliver the knockout he’d boldly predicted before the fight.

Alvarez’s experience showed as he applied pressure early, repeatedly backing Berlanga into the corner. A devastating left hook in the third round floored Berlanga, who quickly stood up but found no answer to Alvarez’s relentless body shots in the later rounds.

“I did good,” Alvarez said after the fight, winning with scores of 118-109, 118-109, and 117-110. “Now what are they going to say? I fight younger fighters? I’m the best fighter in the world.”

Alvarez improved to 62-2-2, while Berlanga, 27, fell to 22-1. The fighters embraced at the final bell, with Berlanga calling Alvarez his idol.

(Source: AFP)