LAS VEGAS — Middleweight contender Danny Garcia has offered advice to his friend and compatriot Edgar Berlanga ahead of the fighter’s massive fight against pound-for-pound stalwart Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Garcia and Canelo compete in separate fights in the co-main and main events of a Premier Boxing Champions super card on Prime Video on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. World Boxing News will be in attendance on the night.
As Garcia and Berlanga are both Puerto Rican and prominent East Coast boxers, it is no surprise that they have been at one another’s houses and exchanged notes on top-tier fighters in their respective divisions.
“I’m happy for Berlanga,” said Garcia to World Boxing News and other reporters at a recent media event in Beverly Hills. “He’s been in my house. That’s someone who I call my friend, and so it’s hard to go against my own friend.”
He continued: “I just hope both of them come out healthy, make a lot of money, and give the fans a great fight.”
As the best wins on Berlanga’s resume include Jason Quigley, who he beat by decision in 2023, and Padraig McCrory who he finished in the sixth round earlier this year, there is a clear experience gap between himself and Canelo, who has fought Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Dmitriy Bivol in a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career.
For Berlanga to have any success against Canelo, he must — according to Garcia — “use his youth” as he is seven years younger than the 34-year-old Alvarez.
“He’s strong and needs to try to be patient,” Garcia told us. “Jaime Munguia was too aggressive, and it went against him,” in their super middleweight fight earlier this summer. “Take your time,” the Philly fighter said. “It’s easy to say until Canelo’s in front of you, but keep him at a distance like Bivol did, and try and control the fight as much as you can.”
Canelo, according to Garcia, is “a seek-and-destroy type of fighter” with 39 knockouts from 61 wins in total. Only Bivol and Mayweather have ever beaten him, with Golovkin and Jorge Juarez keeping him to a tie.
“Canelo isn’t unbeatable,” the veteran 160-pounder said.
Garcia then added that he wouldn’t bet against his friend. “If I had to bet, I’d bet against the odds,” he said. “That’s the only way I get my money.
“Berlanga’s my guy; we have fun together. That’s my bro out there, and I’m proud of him.
“He has the power, too. Boxing’s right here,” he said, pointing to his head. “And Canelo’s a dog. To beat someone like Canelo, you really have to believe in yourself.”
The Canelo vs Berlanga fight, together with the Lara vs Garcia co-main, is available to watch Saturday on PBC on Prime Video.
Alan Dawson is World Boxing News Lead Writer, a 2 x Sports Journalist of the Year finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Follow Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
