As anticipated a couple of days ago, the negotiations were nearing completion. Now the official confirmation has arrived: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will face Puerto Rican Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14. The fight, which is generating waves of outrage from fans and insiders due to the inconsistency of the challenger’s record, will likely not be valid for all four major world titles: the IBF is reportedly planning to revoke its title from Canelo due to his refusal to fight mandatory challenger William Scull.
The same event will feature the WBA middleweight title fight between champion Erislandy Lara and challenger Danny Garcia. This matchup is also expected to stir controversy: Garcia has only fought once since 2021 and has never competed in the 160-pound category, making his approval as a world title challenger seem unjustifiable to many. Furthermore, according to early reports, the fight might have a weight limit slightly below the standard (making it a catchweight bout), another aspect that will surely raise eyebrows.