Canelo dominates Berlanga to retain super middleweight belts

Canelo Álvarez defeated Edgar Berlanga via unanimous decision to retain his WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles Saturday in Las Vegas.

The three judges scored it 117-110, 118-109, and 118-109 in favor of Álvarez.

Álvarez controlled the fight from the start, knocking down Berlanga with a left hook in the third round.

The 34-year-old landed 20 of 44 punches in the third round, including 14 of 27 power shots, according to CompuBox.

Álvarez improved to 62-2-2 with the victory. It was his fifth straight win via unanimous decision. He hasn't picked up a knockout victory since defeating Caleb Plant by TKO in November 2021.

"I'm the best fighter in the world," Álvarez said in the ring following the fight.

The loss was the first of Berlanga's professional career.

"I fought a legend tonight, and hopefully this is the start of me becoming a future legend," Berlanga said, per Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook. "I took his best shot in the third round. I got dropped, I came back. I can hold these punches and return it. I could have done a lot more, but I was in there with a legend, man. My hat's off to him and all of Mexico."

Light middleweight champion Terence "Bud" Crawford was in attendance and told ESPN's Mike Coppinger that he wants to face Canelo at 168 pounds without a rehydration clause. Crawford made his 154-pound debut in August, defeating Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision.