Promoter Eddie Hearn has put a positive spin on Edgar Berlanga’s loss to Canelo Alvarez, suggesting he is now the second most popular super middleweight contender following his “even” defeat last Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Hearn says Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) was “frustrating” unified super middleweight champion Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) with his ring IQ. Canelo was frustrated, but for a different reason than Berlanga’s ring IQ. He was upset by the headbutts, low blows, rabbit punches and illegal straight hands Berlanga was using.
Berlanga seemed to be there just to get through the night and didn’t fight until the 12th round. In the remaining rounds, Berlanga seemed too scared to throw his power punches, fearing he would be countered by Canelo again. After Berlanga was knocked down in the third round, he played it protected, landing mostly jabs.
Hearn and the regular boxing fans celebrated Berlanga afterwards just because he got knocked out, but they didn’t have the insight to see that he was just trying to survive, not win. He was there to fight 12 rounds.
Matchroom promoter Hearn tries to create a false image that Berlanga fought heroically, but that is not true. He was less impressive than Canelo’s previous opponent, Jaime Munguia, who fought harder and won four rounds in May. Munguia was braver.
“He never looked like he was underperforming there. We got beat by a legend, but the rounds were always close,” Eddie Hearn said during press conference after the fightpraising his fighter Edgar Berlanga after his loss to Canelo Alvarez.
The fight was only close because Canelo didn’t have the size or gas tank to finish Berlanga due to his massive 6’1″, 193-pound frame going into the fight. If Canelo’s conditioning had been better, he would have knocked Berlanga out in the fourth round because he was there to stop him if only he could connect instead of just loading up on singles.
“For me, those were the boxes he ticked. The invincible chin. He took every punch from Canelo Alvarez’s artillery. The knockdown was an incredible left hook. It was such a lightning-fast knockdown. He wasn’t really hurt the whole fight,” Hearn said.
Berlanga’s 193-pound weight is the reason he could take Canelo’s punches. When a lithe heavyweight faces a super middleweight, they can withstand punches a lot better than when they’re competing in their natural weight class.
If you put Berlanga with lithe heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, we’ll see how good his chin is. Of course, Berlanga will never fight Beterbiev because his management is too calculating to risk putting him with someone who would knock him out and cut off the spigot of the oil well that pumps that black gold.
“Even when he got dropped, he came back, he threw punches and people loved it. His ring IQ, we knew, was better than people expected, he was good and he frustrated Canelo Alvarez at times,” Hearn said.
Berlanga got back up from a third-round knockdown and just took the punishment for the rest of the fight, playing it protected. He used a lot of illegal, brutal tactics that enraged Canelo, so he was frustrated with him.
“Like I told him before. He secured his whole life [with millions] and his family’s life forever at such a juvenile age, and that’s just the beginning because right now you have to say he’s number one in the division, outside of Canelo Alvarez, and there are huge fights for him,” Hearn said of Berlanga.
Berlanga is more popular because of his fan base in Modern York than other contenders in the 168-pound division, but he is far from a talent. However, Berlanga is not a true super middleweight. He is a lithe heavyweight who comes down to 168 pounds to compete with smaller fighters.
Berlanga is another David Benavidez type who likes to lose weight, but he’s less about talent and more about self-promotion [Read: out of touch braggart]and has a shorter shelf life. Needs more protection than Benavidez.
“I almost feel like he’s a modern signing because we knew he was a huge star before, but now I feel like we have one of the biggest stars in the division. I think the comeback trail and the comeback plan is going to be really frigid,” Hearn said.
When Hearn says “comeback trail” it’s code for feeble opponents like the ones he was matched up against to build his 22-0 record in order to earn Canelo a payday. Hearn is selling a phony product to the public, trying to make himself look better than he is. Berlanga is the equivalent of fool’s gold and only naive fans believe he is real 24k gold.
Berlanga is not a modern star, and Hearn will not be able to turn him into a steady money maker, like an oil well that pumps out black gold for years. Without protecting Berlanga by matching him with pliable opposition that fans will not get excited about, he will lose if Hearn matches him with good opposition.
When I say “Good”, I don’t mean Caleb Plant, Diego Pacheco, Jaime Munguia and Christian Mbilla. Berlanga will lose to those guys. If Hearn puts Berlanga in a fight with a high-caliber fighter like David Benavidez, David Morrell or Osleys Inglesias, he’ll get knocked out.
WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.
World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.
As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.
The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.
He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all. To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.
“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.
“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.
“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.
Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.
When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.
The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.
Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.
Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.
The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.
“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”
A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.
“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.
“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”
“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.
Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.
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