If there was ever any doubt that boxing is a sport run on star energy relatively than high quality of competitors, you simply had to have a look at the energized, offered out T-Cell Area in Las Vegas to affirm that.
Coming into Saturday’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga tremendous middleweight title battle, the thought was that it might be about as aggressive as Dan Rafael vs. Bob Arum in a hen wing consuming competitors.
Regardless of efforts from the promotion to make this battle a feel-good after-the-fact occasion, the reality of the matter was that Alvarez gained all however a couple of seconds of the bout (regardless of beneficiant judges’ scorecards of 117-110, 118-109, and 118-109). He was by no means even remotely bothered by something Berlanga did, aside from struggling a case of harm emotions when the Brooklynite tried to guide together with his head within the eighth spherical.
However how good was anybody speculated to really feel a few -1800 favourite dominating a battle everybody knew he would dominate, within the worst attainable way– by way of competent factors victory?
I received no explicit thrill from what amounted to a wasted evening within the profession of a contemporary nice, besting an overmatched, undeserving opponent in what stands to be, realistically, considered one of a remaining handful of nights in a Corridor of Fame run.
The paying followers meting out $90 for the pay-per-view, anticipating one thing aside from a showcase for Canelo, additionally couldn’t have been too pleased– particularly in the event that they sat by that soul-draining Erislandy Lara-Danny Garcia snoozer proper earlier than the primary occasion.
Canelo, nevertheless, was actually ecstatic after the battle, grinning ear-to-ear, “Viva Mexicoing” the hell out of the partisan pro-Canelo crowd within the post-fight interview.
And who can blame him for being pajama-splitting joyful after Saturday’s bout?
He made a shit-ton of cash for combating somebody with no likelihood of beating him, who, by being sturdy and never crumbling below the load of the second, lent an oz. of credibility to a completely not credible pairing. There could be no, “What the fuck might I do, he wouldn’t battle?” laments, like after the Jermell Charlo battle or “I wasn’t at 100%” spin, like after the John Ryder bout. This time, the Mexican celebrity might declare, with a straight face, that he was kinda, sorta dominating in an precise battle.
However everyone knows this one wasn’t a lot of an precise battle.
The Brooklynite received the B-side name from Group Canelo as a result of, as somebody who might be wedged right into a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico storyline, he was probably the most bankable of all of the out there fall guys. That enterprise resolution would make Berlanga’s “Chosen One” nickname extremely acceptable on this event.
Canelo did his half and made for an honest present in a bout that had no actual intrigue. There have been entertaining moments the place the 34-year-old defending champ placed on the stress with legit dangerous intent and Berlanga poked again as greatest he might. However Berlanga’s capability to see the ultimate bell was principally about his physique mass (reportedly upwards of 190 lbs.), in addition to Canelo’s willingness to solely go to this point in pursuit of creating a battle out of a virtuoso solo efficiency.
It must also be identified that Berlanga, who received a number of pats on the again for going the total twelve and, I assume, not being a bumbling idiot, clearly determined to NOT exit on his defend (as he had promised). He by no means went “full in” in pursuing a free-swinging, brawling battle– his solely marginally believable path to victory. As a substitute, he “boxed,” stayed comparatively secure, and located his solution to the ultimate bell, using a technique that saved him from taking a beating, but in addition eradicated any likelihood he had of successful. His solely transient flash of true gumption was within the third spherical, after he had been embarrassed by being knocked down, when he responded with about 30 seconds of fist-flinging aggression. However that was it. In a method, it was as adverse of a efficiency in opposition to Canelo as Jermell Charlo’s final September as a result of, on the very least, Charlo by no means promised a warfare and no one anticipated one from him.
However none of this appeared to trouble the ecstatic true-believers at T-Cell or the handful of tremendous followers and model cheerleaders on social media who talked this battle up prefer it completely wasn’t a cynical mismatch that ought to’ve led to six rounds.
So, what’s subsequent for Canelo?
Actually, I couldn’t care much less. THIS Canelo is a boring waste of everybody’s time (and cash, which might be invested in a 12 months’s value of higher, extra compelling fights). Within the days previous to this card, Alvarez talked up his need to pursue a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who beat him decisively in Could of 2022 and, basically, ended his curiosity in satiating his aggressive starvation.
However the Bivol speak previous to Berlanga was simply a sign that Canelo was listening to all of the criticism relating to Saturday’s battle. When a promoter begins speaking up the “subsequent” battle earlier than the present battle, you recognize he’s shook– and Canelo is most positively his personal promoter in each sense of the phrase as of late. He ain’t combating Bivol, although. Not in one million years. He had two years to pursue that rematch and couldn’t run far sufficient the opposite method from making it occur. Canelo’s a wise man. He is aware of {that a} rematch wouldn’t go any higher than the primary go ‘spherical and will conceivably go an entire lot worse. Plus, Bivol has his unificartion bout with Artur Beterbiev subsequent month.
With Bivol out of the query and David Benavidez clearly not taking place, that doesn’t depart a lot viable competitors on the market for Alvarez. And that, apparently, is simply superb with him. He’s clearly not trying to run up in opposition to some recreation younger buck with an actual shot of beating him up at this level in his profession.
As shut as we’ll get to a “actual” battle for Canelo is Terence Crawford, who was in attendance at T-Cell (after which “Noche UFC” at The Sphere, alongside new bestest sugar daddy Turki Alalshikh), though Alvarez issued a terse “No Remark” when requested on the post-fight press convention about the opportunity of combating Crawford subsequent.
It’s extra seemingly that we’ll get a battle with Chris Eubank Jr. subsequent. The second-generation British star ticks off all of the containers of what current tense Canelo Alvarez is on the lookout for in his large fights– a reputation, a powerful look, and no actual likelihood of beating him.
Notes from the Undercard:
– If solely all of us had buddies like Danny Garcia has at PBC. The 2-division former champ, inactive for 2 years and totally faraway from the boxing scene, was gifted a shit-ton of cash for a gig he did not deserve and did not attempt to full. Garcia had by no means competed at 160 and didn’t deserve a WBA middleweight title shot in opposition to Erislandy Lara, who, himself, barely deserved to have the belt. In flip, he carried out like he completely did NOT give a shit about returning the PBC favor with a compelling effort. Garcia, who was one of many OG PBC gamers, did nothing (in opposition to a Lara who barely did greater than nothing) earlier than being dropped with a poke of a punch on the finish of the ninth and seeing his father wave off the dreadful bout earlier than the beginning of the tenth spherical.
– Caleb Plant-Trevor McCumby was, by far, the battle of the evening on Saturday as each really got here to win and– OMG– really harm each other. Plant overcame some tough patches early within the contest from the robust and awkward one-time prospect, however ultimately demonstrated his class. He additionally demonstrated his rising star energy because the T-Cell viewers popped exhausting for his earnest efforts and occasional posturing.
– Rolly Romero, as a I wrote over at Boxingnews.co, “mugged and thumped and made a normal mess en path to a one-sided 10-round unanimous resolution win over a totally ineffectual Manuel Jaimes.” Romero is so sloppy and unskilled that everyone he fights has a legit likelihood of beating him. However the sloppiness and lack of talent additionally makes him a clumsy opponent who busts up rhythm and spoils recreation plans. He’ll proceed to be a compelling watch, ala Ricardo Mayorga, who will beat the low-level pugs, lose to the elites, and possibly, sometimes, beat a very good fighter right here and there together with his mugging model.
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