By: Hans Themistode
Both Edgar Berlanga and those around him recklessly pushed him down the arduous path.
To kick-start his career, Berlanga quickly knocked out his first 16 opponents, stopping them one by one in the opening round. Towards the end, however, New Yorkers encountered considerable resistance.
In Berlanga’s April 2021 game against Demond Nicholson, the 24-year-old was forced to go away for the first time in his career. In the ensuing match, Berlanga was pushed even further.
Known for his ability to take down opponents, Berlanga was forced to face his own adversity when he was defeated in the 9th round by 168-pound championship contender, Marcelo Esteban Coceres. While Berlanga ultimately won the decisive scorecard, the heavyweight contender suffered a tear in his left bicep and had to undergo surgery afterward.
As Berlanga has been training hard for his return to the ring, which will take place this weekend against Steve Rolls, the high-ranked contender has teamed up with former world titleholder, Mickey Bey.
With both Bey and head coach Andre Rozier working closely with Berlanga, Bey was thoroughly impressed by what he saw. In fact, in Bey’s opinion, if Berlanga continues on his current trajectory, he will see major setbacks to the division’s best in the not-too-distant future. .
“What I’ve seen in the last few weeks, I see he can fight anyone in the world for 12 to 18 months. You should be able to see him there with Canelo, whoever it is. ”
Of course, Canelo currently holds every world championship title at £168. Despite the gap in both age, 31 to 24 and experience, Berlanga has repeatedly stated that the match against Alvarez is the one he craves.
For now, however, Bey wants Berlanga to focus on the immediate future. When the time is right, Bey believes Berlanga will propel herself to the top of the 168-pound food chain. For now, however, Bey is expecting a dominating show this coming weekend at the Hulu Madison Gardens Theatre.
“I hope he looks great and dominates next week.”
