Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has been stripped of his IBF super-middleweight title after confirming he will fight Edgar Berlanga on September 14.
He had long been the undisputed champion at 168lbs, but having ignored the IBF’s demands to fight their number-one contender William Scull to instead agree a date with Berlanga at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, the sanctioning body has responded by stripping him of his title.
“Saul Alvarez’s mandatory defense of the IBF super-middleweight title is overdue,” read a statement from the IBF. “Therefore, the bout scheduled for September 14, 2024, is not in compliance with the noted rule.
“The IBF places the upmost importance on keeping a title occupied. [F]urthermore values and understands the significance of the undisputed champion status for a fighter such as Saul Alvarez, the sport and the fans. We understand that Saul Alvarez and his team made a choice to pursue the route they see fit for his career in the bout against Edgar Berlanga.
“Nevertheless, the IBF rules are clear and were designed to serve all affected parties in a matter such as this. Based on the foregoing, the IBF was left with no other recourse than to vacate the IBF super middleweight [title].”
Mexico’s Alvarez, 34, has been perceived to have been the recipient of considerable generosity from the sanctioning bodies, in the belief among some observers that he has been under reduced pressure – the combined cases of the WBC and David Benavidez represent the highest-profile and longest-term example – on account of his profile to fight his mandatory challengers.
The IBF, regardless, has been criticised for stripping both Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk of their welterweight and heavyweight titles sufficiently quickly after they won fights that made them the undisputed champions of their weight divisions that they didn’t have time to make even a solitary undisputed title defence.
They are expected to order a fight between Scull and Vladimir Shishkin for their vacant title.
Incidentally Berlanga, 27, is the WBA’s mandatory challenger.