Canelo Alvarez wins unanimous decision in dominating title defense against Edgar Berlanga

Undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez outpointed challenger Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at T-Mobile Arena.

Making his eighth super middleweight title defense, 34-year-old Alvarez (61-2-2) dominated much of fight, using his experience and tenacious pursuit to wear down 27-year-old challenger, frequently sending 20,312 fans into a frenzy, often chanting “Mexico! Mexico!" or “CA-NEL-O! CA-NEL-O!”

Berlanga lost for first time in his career, dropping to 22-1-0.

“I did good. Now what are y going to say? y said I don’t fight young fighters,” said Alvarez, who was making his eighth super middleweight title defense. “y always talk, but I’m best fighter in world.”

Judges Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld scored fight 118-109, and judge David Surland h it 117-110.

Berlanga almost matched Alvarez's punch output, but champion was much more accurate. Alvarez landed 43.3% (201 of 464) of punches he threw, while Berlanga connected on just 119 of 446 (26.7%). Alvarez also landed 49.1% (133 of 271) of his power punches.

Alvarez, a four-division champion, still hasn’t ended a fight early since scoring a technical knockout of Caleb Plant nearly three years ago, when he became undisputed champion.

It appeared that drought might end when a sharp left hook to chin dropped Berlanga in third round, and furr punishment from Alvarez seemed to be taking a toll. Alvarez landed a crisp right uppercut in fifth and a vicious hook in sixth.

But Berlanga wouldn’t go away, as he stood toe-to-toe and matched Alvarez’s machismo, refusing to be bullied by man he’d call “my idol” after fight. He also got wild in seventh, missing a wild overhand right that caused him to fall on canvas, and was warned for a hebutt to Alvarez’s face in eighth round.

“I got a little angry with his tactics, but I’m Mexican man,” Alvarez said. “It means a lot to fight on this day. It’s an honor to represent my country on this day.”

It marked one of biggest nights in combat sports on Mexican Independence Day for Las Vegas, as UFC me its debut at Sphere , just three miles down Las Vegas Boulevard, with seven Mexican fighters in lineup.

Alvarez closed as a -1600 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook , which means a bettor would have h to wager $1,600 to win $100.

IBF removed Alvarez’s title after he chose to fight Berlanga rar than fight its No. 1 challenger, William Scull.

In a very uneventful WBA middleweight championship bout, 41-year-old Erislandy Lara (31-3-3) successfully defended his title against Danny Garcia (37-4-0) with a TKO at three minutes of of ninth round thanks to a straight left jab to face. Garcia’s far and trainer, Angel, requested stoppage after round.

“ punches I was landing were hurting him,” said Lara, oldest active world champion in boxing. “That punch that ended fight was a big shot.”

After falling behind on scorecards early during a battle for interim WBA super middleweight belt, Caleb Plant overcame being knocked down in fourth, dominated last four rounds, and earned a ninth-round TKO of Trevor McCumby (28-1-0). With time winding down, Plant unleashed a flurry of punches to McCumby’s he that prompted referee Allen Huggins to stop bout at 2:59 mark.

“I knew I h him hurt and h to go to work,” Plant said. “It was time to get my belt. Now I’m rey to go home and play with my daughter.”

In first fight of main card on pay-per-view event, Rolando Romero improved to 16-2-0 with a unanimous decision over Manual Jaimes (16-2-1), with all three judges scoring fight with identical scores, 99-91.