By Oscar Pick
EDGAR Berlanga will enter the lion’s den when he locks horns with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in a bid to secure super-middleweight supremacy this Saturday.
The largely unproven puncher is expected to step up several levels to complete what most would consider to be an insurmountable task.
And yet, the 27-year-old has refused to show his widely revered opponent an ounce of respect, taking many by surprise with his belligerent approach to the fight.
But then again, it is impossible to predict what bearing this attitude – or rather this facade, as some may opine – will have on the result of his first world title showdown.
Edgar Berlanga’s story so far
Following his professional debut back in 2016, Berlanga made a name for himself by amassing 16 consecutive first-round stoppages, closing in on the world record of 21.
This record, as it happens, was set by Ali Raymi, a ferocious Yemeni minimumweight who remained unbeaten throughout his brief career, halting every man he stepped into the ring with.
Berlanga was unable to surpass the coveted accolade, though, as it was Demond Nicholson who, despite having been stopped and floored several times before, took him the distance in their eight-round contest.
It could be said that, from this moment, the Puerto Rican’s mystique had begun to diminish because, in many ways, the first-round stoppages had become his unique selling point.
Without them, he was merely another undefeated prospect climbing up the ranks, and while all 16 finishes had come against, well, limited opposition, to say the least, they still added value to a fighter who may have otherwise struggled to bolster his profile.
And, sure enough, the prolific knockout artist was able to progress rapidly, shoehorning his way into a slot on the undercard of the blockbuster trilogy between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder in 2021.
But, in what was supposed to be a showcase performance at one of the most-watched sporting events of the year, Berlanga was, instead, forced to overcome an unexpected gut check when he got dropped in the ninth by Marcelo Coceres, a rugged Argentinian who is perhaps best known for giving an ill-prepared and sluggish Billy Joe Saunders a relatively tough night’s work.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank
With another points victory under his belt, then, it was time for the highly touted super-middleweight to headline his first show.
And so the stage was set at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre for Berlanga, a Brooklyn-born bruiser, to put on a scintillating performance in front of his home fans.
Alas, his clash with Steve Rolls ended, once again, with both combatants hearing the final bell, leading to fans questioning whether his shots can deliver the same impact when he steps up in levels – as in, does he really carry the necessary power to inflict damage upon any fighter hovering in and around the world scene?
These criticisms only enhanced after Berlanga’s next outing, when he not only laboured to another unanimous decision win but also received a six-month suspension and $10,000 fine for attempting to bite his opponent, Alexis Angulo, during their bout.
But then, after serving his fairly lenient punishment, the ‘Chosen One’ demonstrated a real impetus to get his career back on track by signing a multi-fight promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing.
In fact, it felt as though this was a new beginning for Berlanga, who returned to the ring against Jason Quigley looking like his usual, destructive self again, sending the brave Irishman crashing down to the canvas four times during their 12-round contest.
And his first stoppage in more than three years arrived shortly after, as his dominant display over Padraig McCrory, another Celt, reminded fans that he is one of the most dangerous operators at 168 lbs.
Still, it is yet to be seen whether the New Yorker’s power can be as effective at the elite level, which is, after all, where his next opponent has paraded for more than a decade.
