Canelo Alvarez handed Edgar Berlanga his first career defeat by unanimous decision at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Judges Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld gave 118-109, David Sutherland 117-110, all in favor of Mexican superstar Alvarez.

Alvarez defended his WBC, WBA and WBO super-middleweight world titles (the IBF title is now vacant).

Alvarez hasn’t won a bout inside the 168-pound division since becoming the undisputed champion in 2021 by stopping Caleb Plant, but he did manage to outpoint Berlanga early in the bout, knocking out the Puerto Rican challenger in the third round.

Berlanga was under a lot of pressure throughout the match, but managed to hold out bravely until the final bell.

“I got a little angry with his tactics, but I’m a Mexican man,” Alvarez said afterward. “It means a lot to fight on this day (Mexican Independence Day weekend). It’s an honor to represent my country on this day.

“We are warriors and we never give up. I’m going to rest and then I’m going to decide what’s going to happen next.”

He defended his performance, saying: “I did well. What are they going to say now? They said I don’t fight young fighters.

“They always talk, but I’m the best fighter in the world.”

Berlanga said: “I’m disappointed because in the end I’m the winner.

“I fought a legend tonight and did my best to represent Puerto Rico. We are fighters and we try to throw our opponent off his game. I took his best shot and I knew I could take his punches and hit back. I could have thrown a lot more punches, but I was standing there with a legend.”

On the undercard, Erislandy Lara defended his WBA middleweight title when he forced a stoppage of Danny Garcia at the end of his ninth round.

At 41, Lara is the oldest active world boxing champion, but Garcia, a professional super lightweight and welterweight boxer, was fighting for the first time in two years.

“I thought I boxed beautifully,” Lara said. “It was a work of art, like a Picasso. I denied everything Danny had. He’s a great fighter and a Hall of Famer, just like me. I used sideways movements with a long jab to land my big punches, just like you learn in the Cuban boxing gym.

“The punches I threw hurt him,” he added. “That punch that ended the fight was a big blow.”

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