Photo: Esther Lin/PBC – Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) is at least a 20-to-1 favorite to defeat New York slugger Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs).
This Saturday, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will defend his WBC, WBA, WBO and The Ring 168-lb titles against Edgar ‘The Chosen One’ Berlanga. Apparently, the Puerto Rican New Yorker is living up to his nickname, because judging by the public’s predictions, ‘Canelo’ chose him well.
All kidding aside, this is still a fight that many will be keeping a close eye on. In Quebec especially, three boxers are in at least one of the world’s top 5 of ‘Canelo’s’ division, not to mention that two top prospects aspire to eventually join this discussion.
So I asked 10 members of the Eye of the Tiger team for their predictions. And to make it not too easy, I also asked them for a specific result.
Christian Mbilli
“I think Canelo should win the fight pretty easily, on points or by KO, but I’m going to say on points.”
Marc Ramsay
“Canelo by KO in the 4th round.”
Wilkens Mathieu
“I think like everyone else. Canelo will win pretty easily and I would even say that he will destroy Berlanga and stop him before the 8th, so let’s go with the 7th round.”
Samuel Décarie-Drolet
“I see a fight where Canelo will take his time in the early rounds. Berlanga will make himself respected at the beginning because of his very strong punching power, but Canelo’s timing will eventually pay off. Alvarez will finish the job in the 6th round and knock his opponent out with a right to the head due to technical flaws on Berlenga’s part.”
Osleys Iglesias
“Canelo will knock him out in the 7th round.”
Antonin Décarie
“I’m convinced that Berlanga will come out strong and be competitive early in the fight, but a little after the 6th, Canelo will find his rhythm and he will get rid of him in the 7th or 8th.”
Erik Bazinyan
“I think Canelo will stop him before the 7th. I’m even going with a 4th-round knockout.”
Jordan Mathieu
“I expect Canelo to be able to win by knockout in the second half of the fight. But if I have to choose between 6 and 12, I’ll take a 7th-round knockout.”
Moreno Fendero
“Canelo will win the fight on points, because I think he’s reached a point in his career where he’s much more in management mode. But Berlanga has also been criticized a lot and I think he’s going to show that he’s a top level fighter.”
Jhon Orobio
Anecdote: initially I wanted to only ask the question of our 168 pounders, but when I wrote to Moreno for his prediction he was out for lunch with Jhon, so while we’re at it:
“Canelo by KO… in the 8th round!”
The table is set. Will we get a KO in the 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, a dominant unanimous decision from Canelo… or a monumental surprise. Stay tuned tonight!
