Super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga realizes he can’t afford to have a paltry performance when he takes on Padraig McCrory on Feb. 24 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. 

After starting his career with 16 first-round knockout wins, Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) has gone the distance in his last five fights and has even looked shaky at times. 

Berlanga is looking to bring back his powerful magic against McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) with hopes of landing a quick turnaround fight against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs). 

“That'll be perfect, [a Cinco De Mayo fight against Alvarez], because I'll just be coming off a beautiful win,” Berlanga told BoxingScene.com in an interview. 

“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.”

Berlanga believes Alvarez is still operating at a high level even as public opinion continues to shift toward a narrative that the 33-year-old Mexican star is past his prime. 

“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.” 

Canelo is scheduled to return to the ring on May 4. The opponent is unknown, but many insiders believe Jermall Charlo will ultimately get the nod.

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.