If there was ever any doubt that boxing is a sport run on star energy reasonably than high quality of competitors, you simply had to have a look at the energized, bought out T-Cell Area in Las Vegas to affirm that.
Coming into Saturday’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga tremendous middleweight title combat, the thought was that it will 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 combat 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 damage emotions when the Brooklynite tried to steer along with his head within the eighth spherical.
However how good was anybody alleged to really feel a couple of -1800 favourite dominating a combat everybody knew he would dominate, within the worst doable way– by way of competent factors victory?
I bought 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, one in every of a remaining handful of nights in a Corridor of Fame run.
The paying followers doling 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 combat, 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 completely happy after Saturday’s bout?
He made a shit-ton of cash for combating somebody with no probability of beating him, who, by being sturdy and never crumbling below the burden of the second, lent an oz. of credibility to a completely not credible pairing. There can be no, “What the fuck might I do, he wouldn’t combat?” laments, like after the Jermell Charlo combat or “I wasn’t at 100%” spin, like after the John Ryder bout. This time, the Mexican famous person might declare, with a straight face, that he was kinda, sorta dominating in an precise combat.
However everyone knows this one wasn’t a lot of an precise combat.
The Brooklynite bought the B-side name from Crew Canelo as a result of, as somebody who could possibly be wedged right into a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico storyline, he was essentially the most bankable of all of the out there fall guys. That enterprise determination would make Berlanga’s “Chosen One” nickname extremely applicable 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 strain with authentic unhealthy intent and Berlanga poked again as finest he might. However Berlanga’s means to see the ultimate bell was largely 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 combat out of a virtuoso solo efficiency.
It must also be identified that Berlanga, who bought a lot of pats on the again for going the complete twelve and, I assume, not being a bumbling idiot, clearly determined to NOT exit on his protect (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 additionally eradicated any probability he had of profitable. His solely temporary 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 means, it was as unfavourable 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 conflict and no person 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 combat up prefer it completely wasn’t a cynical mismatch that ought to’ve led to six rounds.
So, what’s subsequent for Canelo?
Truthfully, I couldn’t care much less. THIS Canelo is a boring waste of everybody’s time (and cash, which could possibly be invested in a yr’s value of higher, extra compelling fights). Within the days previous to this card, Alvarez talked up his want to pursue a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who beat him decisively in Might of 2022 and, basically, ended his curiosity in satiating his aggressive starvation.
However the Bivol discuss previous to Berlanga was simply a sign that Canelo was listening to all of the criticism concerning Saturday’s combat. When a promoter begins speaking up the “subsequent” combat earlier than the present combat, you understand he’s shook– and Canelo is most undoubtedly his personal promoter in each sense of the phrase lately. He ain’t combating Bivol, although. Not in 1,000,000 years. He had two years to pursue that rematch and couldn’t run far sufficient the opposite means from making it occur. Canelo’s a sensible man. He is aware of {that a} rematch wouldn’t go any higher than the primary go ‘spherical and will conceivably go a complete lot worse. Plus, Bivol has his unificartion bout with Artur Beterbiev subsequent month.
With Bivol out of the query and David Benavidez clearly not occurring, 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 seeking to run up in opposition to some sport 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” combat 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 potential for combating Crawford subsequent.
It’s extra possible that we’ll get a combat with Chris Eubank Jr. subsequent. The second-generation British star ticks off all of the bins of what current tense Canelo Alvarez is searching for in his large fights– a reputation, a formidable look, and no actual probability of beating him.
Notes from the Undercard:
– If solely all of us had associates like Danny Garcia has at PBC. The 2-division former champ, inactive for 2 years and absolutely 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 combat of the evening on Saturday as each really got here to win and– OMG– really damage each other. Plant overcame some tough patches early within the contest from the sturdy and awkward one-time prospect, however finally demonstrated his class. He additionally demonstrated his rising star energy because the T-Cell viewers popped onerous for his earnest efforts and occasional posturing.
– Rolly Romero, as a I wrote over at Boxingnews.co, “mugged and thumped and made a basic mess en path to a one-sided 10-round unanimous determination win over a totally ineffectual Manuel Jaimes.” Romero is so sloppy and unskilled that everyone he fights has a legit probability of beating him. However the sloppiness and lack of ability additionally makes him a clumsy opponent who busts up rhythm and spoils sport 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 along with his mugging model.
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