Over the course of Edgar Berlanga's ascension up the boxing ranks, Fat Joe has been a steady supporter of his fellow Puerto Rican.
In fact, the rap legend flanked Berlanga at the Palladium Times Square for the Canelo Alvarez-Berlanga New York City press conference Monday as part of the buildup for their September 14 fight, live on DAZN in the US and Canada.
That's where Joe had words for any critics who are sleeping on Berlanga's chances to produce what would be considered a huge upset.
"I've been fighting this type of adversity my whole life. I know what he's going up against," Joe started telling DAZN News. "So the hate, that doesn't do nothing but fuel guys like us. We're cut from the same cloth.
"This man wanted the fight," he continued about Berlanga. "I don't think ya'll understand that. This guy wanted the fight. It's not like 'Oh, you gotta fight [Alvarez]. Really?' No, this guy wants the fight."
Joe is giving the undefeated Berlanga more than a puncher's chance to shock the world against Alvarez and become the new unified super middleweight world champion.
"He's got dynamite in his gloves," Joe tacked on about Berlanga. "Never sleep on the boxer.
"I never seen a fight that Edgar Berlanga has fought where he don't hit someone somewhere where they're like ' Whoa !' They wake up! It's like when you walk outside and that cold hits you."
Berlanga will be the underdog as the mandatory challenger to Canelo's unified 168-pound crown.
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