Canelo Alvarez has only one thing in mind ahead of his super middleweight title fight: destroying Edgar Berlanga. 'The Chosen One' will challenge the Guadalajara native on Sept. 14 in a clash that pits Mexico's finest against a surging Puerto Rican star.
The Mexico-Puerto Rico boxing rivalry added immediate stakes to the upcoming clash, but Berlanga's New York-style trash talk has given the super middleweight champion added motivation.
The pair have been engaged in several heated verbal exchanges, and with their clash edging closer and closer, Alvarez offered a chilling preview of his plans for fight night.
During a recent episode of GLOVES OFF: CANELO VS. BERLANGA, the 34-year-old said this:
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"I like them like that. I like them to be confident and do a lot of talking. I like breaking their face when they play like that. I'm eagerly awaiting the day. It'll be the beatdown of his life."
Watch Canelo Alvarez's preview below (1:44):
With the title challenger having secured sixteen first-round knockouts in his first sixteen professional fights, there have been questions about whether or not Berlanga will be too powerful for one of boxing's biggest stars.
But with Alvarez having never touched the canvas in his career, despite having faced massive punchers like Gennady Golovkin and James Kirkland, the New York native has a tall order ahead of him.
Alexa Grasso grateful to share fight date with countryman Canelo Alvarez
Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga will go to war on Sept. 14 in an exciting matchup, whilst the Noche UFC 306 card will take place on the same day, celebrating Mexican Independence Day at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
The MMA card will feature two title fights, with Guadalajara native Alexa Grasso defending her flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko in the co-main event.
As tickets for the UFC pay-per-view card are still available, there have been suggestions that Alvarez's fight has turned fans' heads away. But Grasso is not envious in the slightest.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, she said this about sharing a fight card with the boxing star:
"I think it's very cool. I've been a big fan of Canelo, we're from the same city. He's from Guadalajara too. I've been watching his whole career, he's a big role model for athletes in Mexico, especially combat sports. So for me it's huge, fighting the same day as him."
Watch Grasso discuss fighting on the same date as Canelo Alvarez below (2:05):