Edgar Berlanga insists he did far more than last 12 rounds when he lost a lopsided decision to Canelo Alvarez last September. Responding to Alvarez’s claim that the Brooklyn banger “fought to survive,” Berlanga told Fighthype this week: “The fans were going crazy, the 12th round was insane - I was at 50 percent and still took it to him.” The 27‑year‑old says he fought with a cortisone‑numbed right elbow, yet still rallied late and believes a rematch can be earned by beating Hamzah Sheeraz on 12 July and then knocking out Jaime Munguía.
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Sheeraz‑Berlanga, a one‑fight deal under Turki Alalshikh’s umbrella, is expected to headline DAZN’s New‑York “Ring in the Park” show, one day after Shakur Stevenson’s defence at the Garden. If successful, Berlanga wants Munguía in December.
Some critics note that neither step will guarantee Canelo II; contenders such as David Morrell, Christian Mbilli and Osleys Iglesias would strengthen a résumé still thin on elite wins. Berlanga counters that his market value remains high, saying he rehydrated to 193 lbs against Canelo and believes size plus a healthy elbow makes a second meeting “a totally different fight.”
Watch tomorrow's Canelo-Scull bout live on DAZN.
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