Boxing

‘I’m sure (Berlanga) could have taken an easier route’


Steve Rolls was a solid contender for Edgar Berlanga on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York (ESPN, ESPN+).

The once amateur star from Toronto, now 37, has relied on his formidable skill set to outlast most opponents. And he can punch a little bit. His last two wins have come by knockout, including a ninth-round goal against Christopher Brooker in December.

Rolls’ problem was that he was blown away in a single encounter with an elite opponent, Gennadiy Golovkin, who stopped him for four innings in June 2019.

That performance seems to have exposed the limitations of Rolls. However, he still believes in himself. And he’s pretty sure Berlanga knows he’s not pushing.

“I think he wants to move on and get closer to the world championship title,” said Rolls. “He wanted a challenge. That’s why they chose me. I’m sure he could take an easier route. But credit him for choosing an opponent of my caliber. I will bring experience into this fight. “

That includes his bad experience.

Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) was reasonably competitive with Golovkin in three plus innings. He was then wounded in his left hand, which resulted in his death. Moments later, another large fruit put Rolls in the face and out.

The Canadian believes the lessons learned in that war will help him against Berlanga and beyond. He still dreams of winning the world championship.

“I still have big goals that I have and I need to accomplish,” he said. “That is all [Golovkin] fight already. It was not a fight where I was exhausted or unable to compete. I made a mistake. He has experience. And I think that will serve me well on Saturday night. ”

“I have a goal. I wanted to put a world title around my waist, so there was pressure on both of us. He’s not the only one under pressure. This is a fight that we both need.”



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