The announcement came with great excitement. But it was also met with some surprise once the reality settled in. On Saturday, September 14, Canelo Alvarez would be stepping into the ring for the second time this year. He will face Edgar Berlanga to defend his unified titles. However, the showdown at the T-Mobile seemingly met with an uncustomary challenge. This year, the weekend leading up to Mexican Independence Day will host not one but two mega-events. Coinciding with the Alvarez-Berlanga clash, the Sean O’Malley–Merab Dvalishvili-headlined ‘Noche UFC’ will make its debut at the ‘Sphere’.

Great news for both boxing and MMA fans. But if only things were so simple. In the weeks leading up to the events, reports have surfaced about potential challenges. As it appears, the UFC show finds itself in direct competition with a major boxing event starring one of the faces of boxing. The issue has sparked a major debate about the board. At the final press conference for the Alvarez-Berlanga fight, the discussion naturally extended beyond the bout itself. Attention turned to the PBC-Amazon Prime event, especially how it might differ from its UFC counterpart.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga: It’s the real McCoy

Tom Brown, the head of TGB Promotions, and the lead promoter for PBC, joined hands with Eddie Hearn‘s Matchroom Boxing and Canelo Alvarez’s Canelo Promotions to set up such a blockbuster card. One by one, taking turns, everyone shared their thoughts on the upcoming fight and the thrilling undercards.

Much before Alvarez and Berlanga, or their respective trainers Eddy Reynoso and Mark Farrait shared their thoughts, it was the promoters who took the lead, speaking passionately about the project. Tom Brown went first. “This really is one hell of an event that we’ve got lined up for Saturday night,” began the head of the TGB Promotions.

He commended the card that, alongside a few others, features the title clash between Erislandy Lara and Danny Garcia, or the Caleb Plant–Trevor McCumby bout. Brown shared what actual ‘big-time boxing is all about’. A subtle jab immediately followed, “We don’t need movies and acts playing in between our fights.”

His reasoning could be simple: the event is headlined by none other than Canelo Alvarez. “It just doesn’t get any bigger than that,” said Tom Brown. Brown highlighted the special occasion and what it means, especially for the Mexican fans who will join in droves to watch their sporting icon. The promoter stressed the much-hyped Mexico versus Puerto Rico rivalry. On the fight night, he pointed out that both Alvarez and Berlanga would be fighting for their national pride. Eddie Hearn subsequently took over, understandably talking about his charge, ‘The Chosen One’.

Fights and (F)acts

Perhaps Tom Brown’s jibe was in response to the reports that the UF306 at the ‘Sphere’ may feature six short films, each reportedly lasting around 90 seconds, to fit in between ten fights. The primary purpose is to honor Mexico’s impact on combat sports. That’s not all; there will also be ‘acts’. “So there’s what we call a film and a world and an act. So there’s these acts that take you through the entire night, and we tell the story within those acts,” said Craig Borsari, UFC’s Chief Content Officer, while speaking with ‘The Hollywood Reporter.’

It might take a few days before the real picture with facts and figures detailing how the two events fared emerges. Nevertheless, there’s no denying the fact that Canelo Alvarez remains a massive draw. Perhaps most fans might agree that, alongside Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, or Anthony Joshua, Alvarez stands tall on his ability to single-handedly sell out arenas and make any event a resounding success.

What are your views? Do you feel the Alvarez-Berlanga will give the UFC mega-show a run for its money?