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Edgar Berlanga Brings Modern York Energy to Canelo Fight

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Image: Edgar Berlanga Bringing the New York Energy for Canelo Fight

Edgar Berlanga has nothing to lose as he faces unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez in the main event on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) will not get a chance to fight Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) unless he wins or gets a draw.

Most fans believe Canelo chose Berlanga because he is not a threat given his performances against a confined number of opponents. Berlanga needs to prove the fans wrong by beating Canelo and confusing his opponents.

“I’m intrigued by this fight and how he approached it. Berlanga showed off some pretty good trash talk,” Chris Algieri told Probox TV YouTube channel. “He has never shown such depth in this aspect of his game, in the biggest show of his career, under the brightest lights he has ever been under.”

As a Modern Yorker, Berlanga has a knack for talking trash because of his upbringing. When you live in Modern York, criticizing becomes second nature. Berlanga is in his element, unleashed in attack mode.

“He really worked his ass off in those press conferences and made those press conferences, which are often super tedious, especially when you’re fighting a legend like Canelo, fun to watch. I remember Jaime Munguia and Canelo looking like they were having a cuddle feast when they were doing their press conferences,” Algieri said.

The difference between Berlanga’s press conferences and Munguia’s is night and day. Munguia did very little to generate interest in his last fight with Canelo on May 4th. He was so polite and didn’t throw trash at all. I think that hurt the promotion of the fight. Canelo couldn’t promote the fight on his own without getting some crap from Munguia and ultimately it hurt the PPV numbers.

“We don’t get that. There’s no love lost between them, and it comes mostly from Berlanga. That’s what makes it engaging. And then there’s the fact that he’s so huge. You see these guys standing next to each other. You see the size difference. You see Berlanga’s youthful vitality and listen, he’s got nothing to lose,” Algieri said.

Berlanga’s size could be a factor in this fight if he doesn’t get worn out, as he’s looked like a delicate heavyweight in his last few fights. Cutting down to 168 pounds this week, Berlanga looked very skinny and you could tell he was going to look emaciated at weigh-ins on Friday. If he can get down and gain weight without getting worn out, this could be an engaging fight while it lasts.

Nothing to lose, everything to gain

“This guy can punch. He’s huge, he can punch and he’s got nothing to lose. He speaks the right words. If he can walk properly, he can make this fight engaging in the first few rounds. We’ll see what happens after that because obviously the biggest difference is the experience and the world-class opponents that Canelo has faced throughout his career,” Algieri said.

Berlanga knows he has nothing to lose because he won’t get a second chance against Canelo if he gets beaten. He’s the only guy at 168 that Berlanga can make huge money fighting unless David Benavidez wants to come back up to the division to fight him. I don’t know why he would if Berlanga is coming off a loss.

“Overall, I think it’s going to be an engaging fight and I think it’s going to be a lot more electrifying than people thought when it was first announced,” Algieri said.

This could be an electrifying fight if Berlanga can survive the ponderous punches Canelo will throw at him early on. Canelo will unload on Berlanga if he starts quick and lands something challenging that angers him or gets his competitive instincts going.

If Berlanga gets going quickly, it could mean an early night as Canelo lands punches he’s never experienced before.

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The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

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Rocha vs Curiel

In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).

The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00

“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”

Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.

“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.

Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.

The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.

Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.

The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.

“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.

“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.

“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”

Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.

“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].

Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.

“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.

Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.

“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.

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Boxing

Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.

WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.

“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.

“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.

“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.

He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”

Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.

Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.

Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.

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