Promoter Oscar De La Hoya recently criticized Edgar Berlanga for claiming to have Puerto Rico behind him in his upcoming fight against Canelo Alvarez. Despite being from New York, Berlanga has been playing up the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico angle to promote the fight. De La Hoya, who has spent more time in Puerto Rico than Berlanga, called out the boxer for using his heritage in a misleading way. This raises questions about the authenticity of Berlanga’s claims and whether he should be leveraging them for promotional purposes.
De La Hoya also expressed doubt about the success of the upcoming match between Berlanga and Alvarez on September 14th. He pointed out that the fight will be competing against the UFC’s debut event at the Sphere in Las Vegas. De La Hoya believes that Alvarez made a mistake in choosing Berlanga as his opponent for that night, as the latter lacks the widespread popularity needed to rival a major UFC event. De La Hoya suggested that a matchup with someone like David Benavidez would have been a better choice for Alvarez in this context.
Furthermore, De La Hoya highlighted the role of Turki Alalshikh in funding and organizing the UFC event at the Sphere. He emphasized the widespread anticipation for this spectacle and the backing it has received from Alalshikh. This underscores the challenge faced by Alvarez and Berlanga in trying to draw attention away from a highly anticipated UFC event on the same night.
De La Hoya’s criticisms of Berlanga’s heritage claims and the timing of the upcoming fight shed light on the complexities of promoting boxing matches in a competitive sports landscape. It serves as a reminder that authenticity and strategic planning are crucial factors in ensuring the success of such events. Berlanga may need to reconsider his promotional tactics and focus on building his reputation through genuine achievements rather than questionable heritage claims. Likewise, Alvarez may need to reevaluate his choice of opponents to maximize the appeal of his matches in the future.