The Boxing Truth®

The time has come once again for this observer to pull out the periodic feature here on The Boxing Truth®️ Jabs And Observations. A feature column that was originally thought up as a bi-monthly addition as an attempt by yours truly to cover even more ground than what is typically found during a standard calendar year in covering the sport of Boxing. In more recent times, however, the concept of what I refer to as J&O in referencing upcoming features on social media has been used when pauses in the usual schedule have been unwanted, but necessary. While the month of July necessitated such a pause that was not intended by yours truly, it certainly did not mean that the sport was inactive. In fact, it was quite the opposite. When one will look back at the month that was July 2025 down the line, it will likely be summed up in two words: “Marquee Events." A description that due largely to the fourth of July holiday, the fact that it is in the middle of the summer here in the United...

The central question that was asked of the unbeaten WBA number one Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga prior to his challenge of unified WBC/WBA/WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez on September 14th  at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV was whether he was ready for the occasion. To take it a step further, would he freeze under the pressure of the “Big Fight Atmosphere?"  It is a question that there is not a simple answer. Berlanga did after all enter his challenge of Alvarez with a record of 22-0, with 17 Knockouts, and as this observer pointed out in previewing this fight, the development of a young fighter, specifically when decisions are made by a fighter’s handlers to step up in caliber of opposition is not an exact science and should be viewed on a case by case basis. With his first sixteen fights ending in first round knockouts, however, and with Berlanga remaining unbeaten since that streak came to an end, it was perhaps inevitable tha...

Press Release: September 10, 2024 By Prime Video- Credit: Prime Video    All-new editions of Gloves Off explore the backstories of two elite world-class fighters who will be trading punches in a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video at T-Mobile Arena on September 14 NEW YORK—Sept. 9, 2024— Prime Video announced the release of Gloves Off: Canelo vs Berlanga, the fourth edition of the compelling behind-the-scenes presentation, Gloves Off. As momentum builds for an intriguing night of PBC Pay-Per-View action on Prime Video on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, this two-part edition of Gloves Off explores what motivates both main event participants while setting the stage for the latest chapter of the heated ring rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico. Mexican native Canelo Álvarez brings his Super Middleweight World Championship belts into the ring for a showdown with undefeated top-rated challenger, Edgar Berlanga, who is seeking to add another extraordina...

The sport of Boxing and by extension combat sports is far from an exact science. While that statement by its nature is one that can cover a lot of ground, for the purposes of this column, the term “Exact Science" will be in regard to the development of a young fighter. To be more specific, when the decision is made to allow the fighter to step up in caliber of competition. In the case of undefeated Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga, it seems like it was only yesterday that he was a rising prospect, who began his career with a streak of sixteen knockouts. As impressive as that is, what makes it more impressive is all of those knockouts came in the first round. It should not be a surprise based on that statistic that Berlanga, who turned professional in 2016 has moved up the ladder of contention rather quickly, though the first four years of his career resulted in only sixteen rounds inside the ring. A conundrum that all fighters who have risen through the ranks as Berlang...

With the focus of the Boxing world continuing to be on unified Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez, who will next defend his crown against undefeated Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga on September 14th, unbeaten WBO number one Super-Middleweight contender Dirgo Pacheco chose not to sit on the sidelines and wait patiently for an opportunity to face the winner of that upcoming fight, but instead to take a risk by facing former world title challenger Maciej Sulecki on August 31st at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. A battle of youth versus experience, what stood out to this observer was the patience of the twenty-three year old Pacheco as he simply took his time and studied what Sulecki brought with him into the fight. What was also noticeable was Pacheco’s ability to take the punches that Sulecki threw at him, which often came off of faints and were difficult to time. As the fight progressed, however, Pacheco was able to use his seventy-nin...

As the month of August 2024 draws to a close, the spotlight of the sport of Boxing will turn back to the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. A division still dominated by unified Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo" Alvarez, the once and perhaps future undisputed king of the division. While Alvarez has not been defeated for his crown, he no longer has undisputed status as the International Boxing Federation ( IBF ) have stripped him off their version of the Super-Middleweight championship of the world for his refusal to fulfill his obligation to defend against undefeated IBF number one contender William Scull, who will now fight for the vacant IBF crown later this year against IBF number two rated contender Vladimir Shishkin on a date to be announced.  Although the subject of world champions fulfilling their obligations is one that this observer has written about extensively over the many years that I have covered the sport, Alvarez, who normally does fulfill his obliga...

Credit: Prime Video  Press Release: July 26, 2024 By Prime Video-  LAS VEGAS – July 25, 2024 – Pound-for-pound great and Mexican superstar Canelo Álvarez will put his unified WBC, WBA and WBO Super Middleweight World Titles on the line against undefeated WBA No. 1-Ranked Mandatory Contender Edgar Berlanga as Canelo Promotions presents a Mexican Independence Day weekend extravaganza headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event available on Prime Video taking place Saturday, Sept. 14 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.   This showdown will deliver the latest chapter in the long boxing rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico with the fighting pride of Mexico in Canelo Álvarez dueling Puerto Rico’s Edgar Berlanga. Canelo is no stranger to this heated rivalry, highlighted by numerous historic matchups including Salvad or Sánchez vs. Wilfredo Gómez and Julio César Chávez Sr. vs. Héctor Camacho, as he defeated Puerto Rican Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto in one of the biggest Mexico ...

The storyline prior to rising unbeaten Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga 's fight against former Middleweight world title challenger Jason Quigley on June 24th at The Theater in Madison Square Garden was whether or not Berlanga, who holds the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) championship in the Super-Middleweight division, could produce a performance that would serve as a strong argument for him as being a potential challenger for current undisputed champion of the division Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. As most know however, a slight wrinkle emerged two days before the bout when it was revealed that Alvarez had signed a three-fight deal with the Premier Boxing Champions ( PBC ) group of promoters, which moves Alvarez at least for the time being away from digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and at least for now to United States premium cable network Showtime , which for Berlanga, who recently signed with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing , who had...

The main goal of just about every fighter that competes in and around the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division is to secure a fight with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Not only is Alvarez one of the superstars in the sport of Boxing, which obviously means whomever he fights is most likely assured a career high payday, but in regard to the Super-Middleweight division, he remains the undisputed champion of the world. As such whenever a fight occurs in the division that does not directly involve Alvarez, the obvious question that surrounds it is whether those participating in a fight can make a convincing argument as being a potential opponent for him either in the near future or perhaps further down the road. Undefeated Super-Middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga is one fighter that is trying to make that argument. Unbeaten in twenty professional fights with sixteen knockouts, Berlanga has quickly developed not only a fan following, but also buzz due to his punching power and ability to ...

Saturday, March 11, 2023 in the sport of Boxing was largely highlighted by two main events that took place across Europe. The first of these main events would occur at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England where undefeated Super-Middleweight prospect Diego Pacheco met veteran Jack Cullen in a scheduled ten round bout. Although this represented the first time the American Pacheco was in the position of headlining an international card, and that came about due to an injury to former Super-Middleweight world champion Callum Smith, which moved Pacheco's bout with Cullen to the main event of a card promoted by promoter Eddie Hearn, the move to the headline position did not have a negative effect on Pacheco. From the opening bell, Pacheco's approach was one of almost surgical precision as he plotted a strategy with an emphasis on landing his right hand and immediately put Cullen under pressure. What stood out to this observer was the poise in which Pacheco displayed seemingly fro...

Press Release: February 14, 2023 – By DAZN – Unbeaten Super-Middleweight star Edgar Berlanga Credit: DAZN  has signed a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom.   Berlanga (20-0 16 KOs) shot to fame when his blistering speed and devastating power led to an astonishing run of 16 first round KOs from his debut in June 2016 to December 2020, and he landed his first pro title in October 2021 picking up the vacant WBO NABO Super-Middleweight belt, decisioning Marcelo Coceres in Las Vegas.   The 25 year old Brooklyn star has been a huge hit in the Big Apple, packing the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden with his loyal hometown and Puerto Rican support in his most recent battles with Steve Rolls and Alexis Angulo. On those nights in March and June, Berlanga defended his WBO NABO title with unanimous decision wins over ten rounds to cement his lofty World rankings.    ‘The Chosen One’ sits at #4 with the WBO and IBF and at #6 with the WBA and wil...