The measure of a champion lies in the caliber of their competition. In search of his next challenge, the unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez is now about to enter the ring against his WBA mandatory Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 14th. In the meantime, former Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe has reflected on an interesting comparison between Canelo and his former competitor and boxing great—Floyd Mayweather.

Back then, despite having an impressive record of 42-0-1 and fights against Shane Mosley and Austin Trout, the Mexican superstar was considered a massive underdog against Mayweather. Nine odd years later, Canelo is in the same position as Mayweather was at the time, something Ellerbe, who has been with Mayweather from the start, recently spoke about in an interview with Fight Hype TV. 

Canelo’s Next Big Win? Ellerbe Says ‘Body Shot’

Speaking to Ellerbe in Las Vegas, the reporter probed him about his thoughts on the fight, asking how the veteran promoter sees the fight going down. Much like everyone in the boxing community, the 58-year-old favored experience over youth. “Six to eight rounds. I think that in my opinion, Canelo stops him. I think it’s going to be a body shot too,” Ellerbe said confidently. 

This led the reporter to probe Ellerbe about Canelo being in the same position as Floyd Mayweather was back in September 2013 when the duo locked horns. In response, Ellerbe quickly agreed, stating, “Yeah.” Without adding much fodder to the comparison than was necessary, he continued, “It’s going to be a very entertaining fight, I do know [that] because Berlanga’s going to come [forward].”

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Claiming Berlanga is representing his country of Puerto Rico and he wants to put on a performance of a lifetime, Ellerbe highlighted “He’s talked the talk,” and all that is left to see is what the 27-year-old ‘The Chosen One’ brings to the table during their fight next month. It’s worth noting that the Canelo fight would be Berlanga’s biggest affair in the ring, as he has never faced a significant challenge in the past. 

Regardless, one could argue the Floyd Mayweather fight is the reason Canelo Alvarez’s boxing skills have skyrocketed since their encounter in 2013. 

Canelo Alvarez became a monster after his defeat against Floyd Mayweather

Saul Alvarez transformed into a formidable force in boxing following his defeat to Floyd Mayweather on September 14, 2013. The loss, though a humbling experience, ignited Alvarez’s resolve and accelerated his evolution into a dominant figure in the sport. Mayweather’s tactical mastery exposed Alvarez’s shortcomings, but rather than succumb to defeat, Alvarez used it as a springboard for growth.

He played around and modified his approach, refining his skills and strengthening his mental game. Within months, he rebounded with a decisive win over Alfredo Angulo and continued to impress with victories against Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Billy Joe Saunders, Daniel Jacobs, Amir Khan, Sergey Kovalev, and Callum Smith. His eventual triumphs, including two notable wins over Gennady Golovkin, demonstrated the profound impact of that early setback. Alvarez’s resilience and adaptation transformed him from a promising talent into one of boxing’s most formidable champions, showcasing how adversity can forge greatness.

That said, Canelo Alvarez is indeed in the same spot today as Floyd Mayweather was back in 2013. He has more experience; he has more skills and everyone is expecting him to just steamroll through Edgar Berlanga. However, will history repeat itself, or Berlanga shock the world in September? Let us know in the comments.