Promoter Oscar De La Hoya recently criticized Edgar Berlanga for claiming to have Puerto Rico behind him in his upcoming fight against Canelo Alvarez on September 14th. Despite being from New York, Berlanga has been emphasizing the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico angle in his promotion. De La Hoya, who has lived in Puerto Rico for six years, believes that Berlanga should not be using his heritage to promote the fight. This raises questions about the authenticity of Berlanga’s approach and whether it comes across as disingenuous.
De La Hoya’s comments suggest that Berlanga’s attempt to generate interest in the fight by playing on the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry may be misguided. By not actually being from Puerto Rico, Berlanga’s use of this angle could be seen as inappropriate and may alienate fans who value authenticity in promotion. De La Hoya’s criticism raises concerns about the sincerity of Berlanga’s promotional tactics and whether they are truly effective in generating interest in the fight.
Missed Opportunity in Opponent Selection
De La Hoya also criticized the choice of Berlanga as Alvarez’s opponent on September 14th, suggesting that the fight may not perform well due to lackluster interest. De La Hoya believes that Berlanga is not popular outside of Brooklyn, New York, and that a more well-known opponent like David Benavidez would have been a better match-up to compete against the UFC event on the same night. This raises questions about the strategic decision-making behind the selection of Berlanga as Alvarez’s opponent and whether it reflects a missed opportunity to capitalize on a more high-profile fight.
De La Hoya’s critique of Berlanga’s promotional tactics and opponent selection sheds light on the challenges of effectively marketing a fight. By highlighting the questionable authenticity of Berlanga’s heritage claims and the missed opportunity in opponent selection, De La Hoya brings into question the effectiveness of the promotion for the upcoming fight. These criticisms serve as a reminder of the importance of sincerity and strategic decision-making in promoting a high-profile boxing event. As the fight approaches, it will be interesting to see how Berlanga and his team respond to these criticisms and whether they adjust their approach to address the concerns raised by De La Hoya.
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