Eddie Hearn: "Edgar Berlanga is Now the WBA Mandatory for Canelo Alvarez! Not Davivd Morrell! Canelo Wants Berlanga Now and We Want Canelo Next! Boxing Needs a Puerto Rican Versus a Mexican Star!”

Edgar Berlanga did just that Saturday night by producing an electric sixth-round TKO of Padraig McCrory inside the Caribe Royal in Orlando, Florida, and live on DAZN. With his first knockout in six fights, Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) became the WBA's mandatory challenger for Canelo's undisputed super middleweight world championship and the Brooklyn, New York-born, Puerto Rican representer did not waste time calling out the face of boxing. "Canelo wants me now and We want Canelo next," Berlanga told DAZN's Chris Mannix after his sensational victory. When asked if he is ready for that caliber of fight, the 26-year-old responded with "1,000 percent" and "look at Eddie (Hearn) right there, he's going to make it happen". Hearn, Berlanga's promoter at Matchroom Boxing, then offered that Berlanga's dynamic TKO of McCrory was just the statement needed to force a fight with Canelo. "It's only a matter of time," Hearn said about when Berlanga and Alvarez will clash in the ring. "Puerto Rico against Mexico — that will be a huge event — Edgar Berlanga against Canelo Alvarez. And listen I'll tell you now ...the call came,." Hearn added: " wouldn't run around the ring to try to survive for 12 rounds. He'd stand and fight with Canelo Alvarez. He'd give the fans a great, great fight, and that's what people want to see." "Boxing needs that," Hearn chimed in. "They need a Puerto Rican star versus a Mexican star. That's what boxing needs. That would be the biggest fight of this year." When asked about May being a possibility for the fight, Hearn simply offered: "Canelo Alvarez will fight Edgar Berlanga. I promise you that." "Here, he's got a young contender with plenty of heart, plenty of power, that will stand in front of him and fight him and that's why it would be a great fight." https://www.dazn.com/en-CA/news/boxi...81jqvll9gy5pkt