On September 14, all eyes in the boxing world will be on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as Canelo Alvarez defends his WBC, WBA, and WBO super middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga. The fight, which has been highly anticipated, marks a renewal of the fierce and longstanding Mexico-Puerto Rico boxing rivalry and will headline a PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.
The event will also be available via traditional linear television and satellite pay-per-view providers, PPV.com, and DAZN PPV, which is the streaming platform of Berlanga promoter Matchroom Boxing.
PROS PREDICT - Canelo Alvarez VS Edgar Berlanga
Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs), 34, has won titles in four divisions from junior middleweight to light heavyweight and will make his eighth overall super middleweight title defense, four of which were of the undisputed title, a record for a four-belt champion.
"I am very happy for this fight between Mexico and Puerto Rico," Alvarez said. "It’s exciting to be part of another great Mexico versus Puerto Rico battle inside the ring because historically we have always offered unforgettable fights full of passion. I am proud to contribute to this legacy and facing an opponent like Edgar Berlanga adds even more excitement and meaning to this event.”
Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), 27, a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, New York, began his career with an eye-catching 16 consecutive first-round knockouts. He then went the distance in five consecutive bouts until he knocked out Padraig McCrory in the sixth round in his most recent fight on Feb. 24. He had always been the favorite to land the fight following Alvarez’s win over Munguia.
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"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," Berlanga said. "I deserve to be here, and I'm going to shock the world and silence the critics by delivering a masterful performance and knocking out Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 14. I will prove that my Puerto Rican heritage surpasses Mexican boxing, from (Wilfredo) Gomez to (Felix) Trinidad to Cotto, and now to Berlanga. I will reclaim what is rightfully ours. I'm ready to make this a historic firefight, continuing the greatest rivalry in boxing: Puerto Rico versus Mexico.”
When Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn signed Berlanga in early 2023, the aim was to get him a fight with Alvarez, who Hearn promoted at the time but now is working with PBC and TGB Promotions on a fight-by-fight basis.
“Edgar Berlanga’s nickname is the ‘Chosen One’ and I’m so happy he got the golden pick for Sept. 14,” Hearn said. “This is the fight we dreamed about when we signed Edgar last year and he is ready to give everything for himself, his family and for Puerto Rico. You have a young, unbeaten, fearless puncher ready to tackle one of the all-time greats.”
The Undercard: A Night of Elite Talent
The Canelo-Berlanga fight headlines a night of elite talent, streaming live on Amazon Prime PPV. The co-feature will see WBA middleweight titlist Erislandy Lara defend against former junior welterweight and welterweight titlist Danny Garcia.
Erislandy Lara vs. Danny Garcia
Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), 41, a Cuban southpaw fighting out of Houston and former junior middleweight titlist, will make his fifth middleweight title defense. He has yet to face a top middleweight and been quite inactive since winning the vacant belt by knocking out Ramon Alvarez (Canelo’s older brother) in August 2019. Canelo beat Lara by split decision in a 2014 nontitle fight at 155 pounds.
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Lara will be fighting for the first time since a second-round destruction of Michael Zerafa in March 2024.
“We’ve both faced the best, have impressive resumes and have competed at the top level for a long time,” Lara said. “I’m excited for this fight. I encourage all my Mexican fans to tune in on Mexican Independence Day, bring your flags and support this great event. I will represent not only Cuba, but also Mexico on this day against Puerto Rico. You will witness greatness in the ring throughout the action-packed night of boxing. I look forward to putting on a show and being the first to knock out Danny Garcia.”
Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs), 36, a Puerto Rican from Philadelphia, was a dominating unified junior welterweight champion, who beat top opponents such as Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, and an older Erik Morales twice. He won a belt at welterweight but lost to his best opponents: Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman, and Shawn Porter.
Since a decision loss to Spence in December 2020, Garcia has fought just once, a majority decision in a pedestrian performance against Jose Benavidez Jr. in July 2022 at 152 pounds. Now Garcia is moving up to 160 for the heaviest fight of his career.
“This is a legacy fight and an opportunity to win a championship in my third weight class,” Garcia said. “Lara is a great champion who’s been around for a while, but so have I. On Sept. 14, I’m bringing the Danny Garcia show to Las Vegas and making it a historic night.”
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Caleb Plant vs. Trevor McCumby
Caleb Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) will face Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) in a 12-round super middleweight bout for the vacant WBA Interim Super Middleweight Championship.
Rolando Romero vs. Manuel Jaimes
Rolando Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) will take on Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight match.
Fight Card
The full fight card for the event is as follows:
- Main Event: Canelo Àlvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) vs Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), 12 rounds for the WBC, WBA, and WBO Super Middleweight Championship
- Co-Main Event: Erislandy Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) vs Danny Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs), 12 rounds for the WBA Middleweight Championship
- 2nd Fight: Caleb Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) vs Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs), 12 rounds for the vacant WBA Interim Super Middleweight Championship
- Opener: Rolando Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) vs Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1, 11 KOs), 10 rounds, junior welterweight
Where to Watch
The event will be available on Amazon Prime PPV, DAZN PPV, and PPV.com. The telecast begins at 8 PM EST, streaming live on Amazon Prime PPV, preceded by an exciting, free-for-all, three-fight card, headlined by Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Carlos Castro, starting at 6 PM EST on Amazon Prime Video. Off-TV fights start at 4:15 PM EST.
Gambling Odds
Here are the gambling odds for the main fights, providing insight into the expected outcomes:
Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga
- Canelo Alvarez: -1800 ML, -280 KO/TKO, +310 Decision
- Edgar Berlanga: +1020 ML, +2200 KO/TKO, +1800 Decision
- Total Rounds: Over 8.5 at -108, Under 8.5 at -118
- Fight to Go the Distance: +230 Yes, -320 No
- Total Knockdowns: Over 0.5 at -370, Under 0.5 at +240; Over 1.5 at +105, Under 1.5 at -165
Erislandy Lara vs. Danny Garcia
- Lara: -270 ML, +210 KO/TKO, +130 Decision
- Garcia: +210 ML, +850 KO/TKO, +340 Decision
- Total Rounds: Over 10.5 at -235, Under 10.5 at +180
- Fight to Go the Distance: -192 Yes, +150 No
- Total Knockdowns: Over 0.5 at +100, Under 0.5 at -160; Over 1.5 at +220, Under 1.5 at -340
Caleb Plant vs. Trevor McCumby
- Plant: -1600 ML, -195 KO/TKO, +220 Decision
- McCumby: +680 ML, +1600 KO/TKO, +1900 Decision
- Total Rounds: Over 9.5 at -102, Under 9.5 at -126
- Fight To Go The Distance: +174 Yes, -225 No
- Total Knockdowns: Over 1.5 at +145, Under 1.5 at -220
Rolando Romero vs. Manuel Jaimes
- Romero: -650 ML, -350 KO/TKO, +540 Decision
- Jaimes: +480 ML, +1400 KO/TKO, +900 Decision
- Total Rounds: Over 8.5 at -120, Under 8.5 at -110
- Fight To Go The Distance: +600 Yes, -1200 No