Edgar Berlanga, frustrated with Oscar De La Hoya’s criticisms and absence from his upcoming fight against Canelo Alvarez, expressed his anger during a pre-fight press conference, attributing De La Hoya’s disdain to both a failed signing attempt and a feud with Alvarez.
Edgar Berlanga has had enough of Oscar De La Hoya.
This Saturday, Berlanga steps into the ring to challenge Canelo Alvarez for the WBC, WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles. It’s a pivotal moment in Berlanga’s career. Yet, his inclusion in this bout has stirred considerable controversy. Many fans and pundits argue that the 22-0 boxer isn’t on Alvarez’s level. Alvarez, after all, is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Among Berlanga’s critics is none other than De La Hoya himself. This week, De La Hoya announced he would attend UFC 306 at Sphere instead of watching the boxing match. Naturally, Berlanga didn’t take kindly to this snub.
During their final pre-fight press conference on Wednesday, Berlanga let loose. “And I want to say something, too: fck Oscar De La Hoya too,” he declared. “That motherfcker keeps talking and talking. We’re gonna smack him when we see him. He’s got to stop. He’s trying to f*ck up the event.”
Berlanga is currently signed with Matchroom Boxing. Earlier this week, he hinted that De La Hoya’s disdain might stem from failing to sign him last year after he left Top Rank.
But there’s more to the story. Another major factor could be De La Hoya’s long-standing feud with Alvarez.
The popular Mexican star used to be signed with Golden Boy Promotions before leaving in 2020. Since then, tensions have only escalated. Earlier this year, Canelo accused De La Hoya of stealing money from fighters.
Canelo vs. Berlanga takes place this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.