Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga were separated by security at a tense launch press conference.

Alvarez will defend his unified 168lbs super-middleweight titles against undefeated Puerto Rican prospect Berlanga on September 14 in Las Vegas.

Canelo and Berlanga fired verbal insults at each other

The pair came face-to-face to preview their showdown next month, but things took a heated turn for the worse up on stage.

Berlanga was asked how the sentiment was between the pair going into fight week, and he suggested they had a rivalry due to their respective native backgrounds.

Alvarez then shouted: “You’re not gonna do anything. Anything, anything, you will do nothing.

“You will just make me laugh, I want to see that.”

Berlanga replied, repeating: “When I talk, shut up. When I talk, shut up.”

Alvarez added: “What are you going to do?!”

Berlanga then rose to his feet and began walking towards Alvarez as if prepared to start a physical altercation, and the champion responded by doing the same.

As the fighter started to get close to each other, a sea of security sprinted on stage and separated the pair by pushing them to other sides of the area.

Alvarez shouted from afar as the teams also got involved: “I don’t want to f**k you up now, your moment is gone. Take it easy.”

“If I take you out right now, your moment is gone.”

Security steamed in to break the tensions

Berlanga had the final words, shouting: “I’m going to take your place.”

Neither fighter refused to break the stare as they glared at each other over a sea of officials, but tensions were eventually cooled and the pair taken away.

It has certainly put a new perspective on the showdown, with fight week now promising to be a real back and forth of animosity.

Alvarez is clearly fired up by the opportunity to hand the challenger his first career defeat, and is certain he will have his hand raised.

“I respect my opponents, but I like to respond when they talk,” said the Mexican.

“I’m going to be at my best on September 14 and I’m not gonna have any compassion for him. I’m going to be different. He needs 20 of him to give me any problems.

“I motivate myself because I love what I do. But this type of fight, and these types of fighters who talk to me like that, it motivates me even more.

“It gets me excited. I’m going to train like never before to win everything on September 14.

“I’m proud to represent my country, especially on days like Mexican Independence Day and especially in a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup.

“I’m going to represent my country in fashion on September 14. Take it easy, man, because your turn is coming.

“He thinks he has more intelligence than me and everyone I’ve fought. Come on bro, he’s not going to be able to touch me. I want to see him try.”