Despite the odds stacked heavily against him, Edgar Berlanga believes he is on the brink of boxing glory. Having started his journey in the sport at age seven and spending nearly eight years as a professional, he now stands at a pivotal moment that could define the next phase of his career. In many ways, ‘The Chosen One’ is a fortunate one. Unlike many boxers who spent years waiting for that big fight and that huge payday, he received his chance early in his career. On September 14, he will face Canelo Alvarez. Berlanga is staking a claim to the super middleweight champion’s unified titles.

Right from the pre-fight events, he has been making it clear how much the fight means to him. Walking the talk, he went full throttle, showing no reverence for Canelo Alvarez’s reputation. It could be an attempt to hype up the fight to the maximum, as some might argue. Nonetheless, next month, all eyes in the boxing world will be on Edgar Berlanga. Alvarez might remain the heavy favorite to win the bout. But the bookmakers’ odds don’t seem to have discouraged ‘The Chosen One’ from invoking the ‘This is Sparta!” spirit in him and issuing a serious challenge to his opponent.

For Edgar Berlanga, it is the fight to the finish

Perhaps Edgar Berlanga finds him at Rome’s Colosseum. In a gladiatorial contest, armed to the teeth, he stands opposite one of the foremost fighters of the era. So in a lot of ways, as he emphasized in an interview, it’s a ‘do-or-die’ kind of situation for him. At the last presser, had it not been for the security’s timely presence, both Berlanga and Alvarez had almost come to blows.

The Brooklyn boxer of Puerto Rican heritage understands the kind of tough mix he is into. “Boxing is tough,” he said. It is a risky sport where anything could happen. However, that doesn’t mean that once he signs the deal for a fight, he will become more respectful towards his foes. “It’s bullsh*t to me,” he said because, to the opponents, the objective remains the same—to knock him out at the first opportunity.

He said, “I have been training, and me thinking about me knocking him out, you know, so it’s do or die now.” So in a lot of ways, both he and Canelo Alvarez are like gladiators of Rome or like the Spartans. It will be a war on September 14. In the end, it will be either the Mexican superstar who emerges as the winner or Berlanga will be the new unified champion of the division. According to ‘The Chosen One’, that remains the fundamental truth behind the clash.

‘The Chosen One’ wants that ‘Essential One’

Edgar Berlanga has yet to win a world title. Next month’s fight will be his first shot at a championship. Three years ago, he grabbed his first regular title, the North American Boxing Organization’s (NABO) super middleweight championship. He enters the Alvarez match following his 6th-round technical knockout victory over the Irishman Padraig McCrory on February 24.

The fight elevated him as the WBA’s number-one ranked mandatory challenger to the division’s regular champion, David Morrell. However, the Cuban-born boxer subsequently moved to the light heavyweight division. Thus, it placed Berlanga in direct line to claim his dream fight with Canelo Alvarez. Many believe that in order to sustain his contention, he reportedly even went to the extent of suggesting a matchup to close rival Caleb Plant. As many fans know, ‘Sweethands’ has often cited pursuing a rematch with the Mexican superstar as one of his major goals.

Now that he has the fight he badly wanted, Edgar Berlanga cannot afford to leave any stone unturned. For one, he knows even Canelo Alvarez may not be coming with the intention of showing any leniency towards him either.

What are your thoughts on Edgar Berlanga’s views on the fight?