Edgar Berlanga endured stiff resistance from Marcelo Esteban Coceres last October, a match in which he tore his left biceps in the third of 10 innings, went down in the ninth and won reached a unanimous decision.
And as a result, he believes he is a better boxer. Facing obstacles, he says, is how one grows as a warrior.
“It’s about adversity,” said Berlanga, who faces veteran Steve Rolls on Saturday in New York (ESPN, ESPN+). “… I just felt like I needed that for my career, especially at a young age. I knew I would get out of that adversity because I broke my bicep in the 3rd round and fought 7 rounds like that, so many boxers gave up because the pain was ridiculous.
“But I took it as it came. We got the win. ”
Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) was a victim of the standards he set for himself. The 24-year-old from Brooklyn became a sensation when he stopped each of his first 16 opponents in the first round, which left fans expecting the same even if he pushed back his objections.
That didn’t happen. Demond Nicholson lost to Berlanga in the decisive eighth round in April but made it to the final bell. And he received fear against Coceres, although the Argentinian only won three innings per official card.
Berlanga had biceps surgery a few days after the fight and it healed.
Of course, all of that was behind him. He is currently focused on earning his first chance to fight for a major world title. He’s ranked 9th by the WBO and 13th by the WBA, which means he’s on the right track.
Indeed, if he can beat Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) and go on to win, a title will soon come. But that doesn’t mean he has forgotten about his fans, who jumped on board the Berlanga for his ability to beat opponents.
He suggests, in so many words, that you shouldn’t look away when the opening bell rings on Saturday.
“I don’t want to predict anything,” he said. “He is a tough veteran. He went into it with the best. And for me, I just want to perform. I’m ready to blow the roof off this place.
“I was just ready to explode. It will be fireworks as always. “
