CANELO GIVES HONEST VERDICT ON EDGAR BERLANGA'S POWER AS FANS SHOCKED AT POST FIGHT BRUISING

 Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez secured another comfortable victory at the weekend, this time against Edgar Berlanga.

The unified super-middleweight champion looked set for an early night when he knocked the previously unbeaten Berlanga down in the third round with a perfectly timed left hook. The 27-year-old punched his gloves together in anger and got up to survive the round.

From that moment fans were expecting four-weight world champion Alvarez to add to his knockout tally, but the challenger survived to hear the final bell after 12.

Canelo, although visibly bruised after the fight, was never troubled by what Berlanga was able to land and ended up cruising to a wide unanimous decision.

In a video from the post-fight press conference uploaded to FightHub fans were quick to comment on the markings left by Berlanga’s shots on Canelo: “Wow. Never seen Canelo’s face so marked after a fight”, “You’d think he’d been in a war by the look of his face”, “Canelo face was swelling up after the first”.

However, Canelo was asked to rate Berlanga’s power and he compared it to that of his son.

“I say to him in the tenth or ninth round, ‘you hit like my son’. He thinks he hits hard, but he hits like my son. But I’m super strong so that’s why maybe.”

As for Berlanga, he believes Canelo is ‘for sure’ the hardest hitter he has ever shared the ring with.

“I’ll say he hits the hardest for sure.

I already told myself ‘I know I’m going to get hit, I know I’m going to get hit on my chin’, but I’ve got to bit down on my mouthpiece and push.

It comes with boxing, the greats got dropped got hurt, but it’s about how you come back.”

Canelo is expected to return to the ring next May for his usual fight date on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Who will be in the opposite corner remains to be seen.

- Toby Morgan 

TEOFIMO LOPEZ HAS NO DOUBT WHO WINS CANELO-CRAWFORD FIGHT: "IT'S A MONEY GRAB"

Image credit: PBC/Showtime

 Super-lightweight WBO champion Teofimo Lopez has made his prediction ahead of a potential fight between Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

Crawford has been chasing a fight against the current super-middleweight champion ever since he put in a career defining performance against Errol Spence Jr last year.

Although the Mexican was originally dismissive of the match-up, he has recently admitted he would be open to the fight if the money was right. With Saudi Arabia’s boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh having it on his wish list, Canelo might just get what he wants.

Speaking to FightHype about the clash, Lopez believes the three weight class disparity will prove too much come fight night.

“Crawford-Canelo, great matchup, great fight, what else can I say? If those guys want to make that fight happen, you’ve got the face of boxing against a guy who’s fighting for legacy. Both of them are really true champions, hall of famers – let the best man win.

I think Canelo is just too big for him. He’s too big, realistically. Too big, too strong and used to that weight class, so you can be a boxer and all those things but it is what it is.

Canelo is still the face of boxing and the guy everyone wants to fight, Crawfod wouldn’t want the fight if Canelo wasn’t the face of boxing. It’s a money grab, it’s a money fight.”

Lopez has a ready made replacement for Crawford if the Canelo fight doesn’t materialise – himself. The former undisputed lightweight champion has called out ‘Bud’ for a fight next year.

- Toby Morgan 

TIM BRADLEY WARNS CANELO THAT TERENCE CRAWFORD IS LIKE ONE PAST OPPONENT: "HE'LL MAKE YOU PAY"

Image credit: Matchroom / PBC

Terence Crawford wants a fight with Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez before he retires despite the weight he would give away.

Recently undisputed at welterweight, the American would have to jump up three weight-classes from his last bout to face the undisputed Canelo, who holds all four belts at super-middleweight,

The Mexican hasn’t been overly keen on the bout, saying he would get no credit for the win.

Speaking to FightHype, Hall of Fame fighter turner analyst Tim Bradley questioned that given he recently faced Jermell Charlo, another man coming up in weight.

“This is the problem with Canelo, the fact that he fought against Charlo right. Charlo coming from 154, moving up a couple weight divisions to face Canelo. He just went in there and laid an egg. He went in there and survived. He just felt like ‘I’m not on Canelo’s level.'”

He believes the opponents are incomparable, highlighting the skills of Crawford as enough to ‘make Canelo miss’ like Floyd Mayweather once did.

“The difference is the mentality of Crawford. He’s a top pound-for-pound guy. Charlo was never a top pound-for-pound guy. The skillset of Crawford and what he brings. He’s a competitor man. He wants to fight Canelo, and I think he’ll do well against Canelo I really do. Am I nervous for the fight if they were to fight? Hell yeah. Canelo can punch and all it’s gonna take is one. Hit a guy like Terence who’s coming up like three weight classes to be able to face him.

However, just like we saw with Floyd back in the day, man, he was able to outbox him. He was able to out-think him. I think Crawford has the ability to outbox him and out-think him. Make him miss, make him pay. As long as he’s not catching too many of them and he’s using his legs and and defence to get outta the way, he should be able to beat him, man.”

Mayweather beat a 23-year-old Alvarez by majority decision back in 2013. The Mexican would go undefeated for almost a decade before falling shot again to Dmitry Bivol at light-heavyweight.

Crawford returns to action on August 3 to fight WBA Super-Welterweight Champion Israil Madrimov – his first test of how many more divisions he has in him.

- Kerr Furgoson 

TOP TRAINER ROBERT GARCIA MAKES KO PREDICTION FOR CANELO-CRAWFORD: "I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT"

Image credit: PBC/Showtime

 Terence Crawford won’t rest until he gets a shot at Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez, even despite numerous warning that the difference in weight is a recipe for defeat.

Although Canelo has fought at the limit of 147lbs that Crawford recently became undisputed at, it was at the very start of his career. He has since settled three divisions up at super-middle, even competing as high as light-heavyweight.

That doesn’t deter the elite Crawford, who is confident of closing the gap in size and handing the Mexican just a third loss in a 65-fight career.

Speaking to KO Artist Sports, top trainer Robert Garcia, who currently corners pound-for-pound star Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, backs Canelo but not without a good showing from Crawford.

“It’ll be a fight that does really good numbers. I think it’s a fight that will sell. Crawford will put up some good rounds. I think that Canelo is the bigger guy and more experienced and I think in the later rounds, he’ll catch him and maybe stop him. But Crawford will put up a good fight. I know that for a fact.”

Crawford returns to the ring on August 3, a debut at super-welterweight against Israil Madrimov and the chance to become a four-division champion. A win there will go a ways to convince some fans and pundits that he has what it takes to continue bulking up.

Canelo is expected to return in September with Chris Eubank Jr emerging as a late frontrunner but the possibility of the WBA’s Edgar Berlanga still getting his mandatory shot.

- Kerr Furgoson