At the same time, the IBF belt, which Canelo “overdue” to defend, may not be at stake.
Absolute World Champion in the Super Middleweight Division Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (61-2-2), according to media reports, is finalizing a deal to defend his title against undefeated Puerto Rican-American Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs).
According to available information, the fight will take place on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as part of the UFC 306 show. It is noted that the IBF belt, the mandatory defense of which Canelo “overdue,” may not be at stake.
Let us recall that in early May, Alvarez won his fourth victory in a row, defending his titles in a fight against Jaime Munguia by unanimous decision. After that, the IBF obliged the Mexican to hold his next fight against the German William Scull, who has been a mandatory challenger for almost a long time according to this organization.
Berlanga had challenged Saul to a fight back in February after his victory over Irishman Padraig McCrory, but Alvarez chose to fight his compatriot Munguia. For 27-year-old Edgar, the confrontation with Canelo will be the first championship-level fight in his career.
In early July, the promoter of French boxer Christian Mbilly, Camille Estephan, said that the winner of the fight in which his protégé will fight Ukrainian Serhiy Derevyanchenko, “will get a fight with Canelo.” The Mbilly-Derevyanchenko showdown is scheduled for August 17. The event will be held at the Videotron Centre in Quebec, Canada.
Source: Sportarena
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
