Super middleweight fighter Edgar Berlanga is looking to force his way into a Cinco de Mayo fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
The fighter now has a 21-0 record but has failed to finish any of his opponents in the last five bouts after a perfect record in his first 16.
He’ll be taking on another unbeaten fighter, Padraig McCrory, on February 24 (live on DAZN.com).
McCrory has 18 wins and nine KOs, making Berlanga the slight favourite for now, and he told BoxingScene.com that he hopes an impressive performance will tee him up for a May bout with Canelo.
“That'll be perfect, [a Cinco De Mayo fight against Alvarez], because I'll just be coming off a beautiful win,” he said.
“I just feel that I have to perform and really make a statement in my next fight so I can open [Alvarez’s] eyes and he likes what he sees because right now he's the boss at 168. He makes the moves. He's the money man at 168. He can do whatever he wants to do if he feels like it. You can't take that away from him. He paid his dues to get to that point and pick and choose who he wants to fight. Once I make a statement I can call him out. Besides [David] Benavidez I don't think there is a bigger fight out there for him.”
The 33-year-old Mexican, undisputed at 168lbs, is facing some criticism after failing to reach his previous peaks, but Berlanga still sees a quality fighter.
“He's still one of the top fighters in the world, one hundred percent,” said Berlanga. “He has a lot of wear and tear but he's in there fighting with the best for a long time. He still has all of the titles and he's still selling out arenas and making it happen.”
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