The Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez is now no longer the undisputed champion in the middleweight division. He lost his IBF title after opting not to defend it against his mandatory challenger, William Scull, for his next fight on September 14. Alvarez dominated the middleweight division by defeating three undefeated world champions between 2020 and November 2021. Meanwhile, Scull has a record of 22-0 and has never competed at a world-class level. He most recently scored a decision win over Sean Hemphill on the Alvarez-Mungia undercard.
Alvarez chose another opponent
Canelo Alvarez has opted to fight a more marketable Edgar Berlanga instead of Scull. Berlanga is undefeated in professional boxing and has recorded 22 wins, of which 15 came by knockout. However, he has struggled to impress against Fringe contenders, and failed to score a knockout in five consecutive fights before scoring a TKO win over Padraig McCrory. David Benavidez’s WBC title was vacant when Alvarez won the title fight against Callum Smith.
The Mexican has defeated several strong opponents during his reign
During his reign, Alvarez defeated Callum Smith, dethroned Joe Saunders and unified his titles by beating Caleb Plant. This established him as a boxing pound-for-pound king and a four-division champion. However, after failing to attempt to challenge Dmitry Bivol at light-heavyweight, Alvarez returned to super-middleweight and defended his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles against fighters like Gennady Golovkin, John Ryder, Jermell Charlo and Jaime Munguia.
Alvarez revealed why he chose this matchup
Berlanga, who is known for his 16 knockout wins in his early career, is currently struggling to impress with competitive fighters. Canelo is facing criticism for choosing a less competitive opponent, but he cited the market potential of the matchup. “It’s exciting to be part of another great Mexico vs. Puerto Rico battle inside the ring because historically we have always offered unforgettable fights full of passion,” said Alvarez. Canelo Alvarez now has WBC, WBA, and WBO titles which he will defend against Edgar Berlanga. The two men will face off against each other on September 14 at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas.
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