By Vince D’Writer: Undefeated super middleweight contender Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga signed with Matchroom Boxing back in February, and on June 24th, Berlanga is set to make his debut with his new promotional company, as he will face Jason Quigley (20-2, 14 KOs) at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden.
Edgar Berlanga started his professional career back in April 2016 when he scored a first round knockout victory over Jorge Pedroza. Berlanga became an instant star in the sport of boxing as he posted sixteen consecutive first round knockout victories.
The knockout streak was the catalyst in regards to Berlanga instantly growing a large fanbase. During the streak, the new Puerto Rican sensation was averaging less than three minutes of ring time per fight.
In the world of sports, streaks are very exciting, but unfortunately, all streaks have a beginning, and they also have a date of conclusion. Berlanga’s first round knockout streak ended in April 2021 when he posted a unanimous decision victory over Demond Nicholson.
Six months later, the new star of boxing went from performing under the bright lights to looking up at the bright lights when his opponent Marcelo Corceres, knocked Berlanga down in the 9th round when he connected with a counter overhand right.
Fortunately for Berlanga, he was well ahead on the scorecards, as he went on to collect another unanimous decision victory. Concern started to develop within the fanbase of Berlanga as he went back-to-back fights without delivering the knockout victory.
Berlanga would receive another chance to give his fans the ending they expected to witness when he fought Steve Rolls in March 2022. Once again, Berlanga was victorious, but he wasn’t able to produce the knockout.
Boxing analysts criticized Berlanga’s performance, and they also questioned his growth as a boxer. They believed Berlanga was more focused on being a star instead of putting in the necessary work in the gym. In addition to receiving criticism from boxing pundits, some of Berlanga’s fans accused him of being overrated.
As the hype diminished, a small percentage of Berlanga’s fans jumped off the bandwagon, and it showed in his next fight as the attendance numbers took a slight dip when Berlanga fought Alexis Angulo at the Hulu Theater back in June 2022.
A shameful moment occurred in the 7th round when Edgar Berlanga attempted to bite Angulo out of frustration due to the fact that he felt Angulo was throwing elbows. Berlanga won the fight by unanimous decision, but the New York State Athletic Commission hit him with a six-month suspension.
Now the 25-year-old Edgar Berlanga’s suspension is up, he’s transitioned from Top Rank to Matchroom, and he’s ready to step back inside the ring to prove that he’s worthy of a world title shot. His new promoter Eddie Hearn wants to put him on a path to earning a bout against Canelo, and it all starts on June 24th.
Edgar Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) is a hard-hitting boxer who is a raw talent. He accumulated his fanbase by delivering exciting knockout victories. The question is, after a four-fight knockout drought, can he reenergize his fanbase by delivering the type of performance they have grown to expect?
On June 24th, some questions will get answered when it comes to the growth of Edgar Berlanga. For example, we should be able to see if Berlanga has learned how to set up the knockout punch as opposed to waiting for an opening in order to deliver the one big shot.
During his four-fight stretch of unanimous decision victories, Berlanga’s flaws became noticeable. If Edgar Berlanga wants to excite his fanbase and travel down the path his new promoter Eddie Hearn has set for him, then he must correct the flaws and produce a dominant performance against his upcoming opponent Jason Quigley.
If a 2024 matchup against Canelo Alvarez is Edgar Berlanga’s goal, then a decision victory against Jason Quigley isn’t sufficient. In order to rejuvenate his fanbase and start to prove that he deserves a clash with the undisputed 168-pound champion, Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga must look spectacular inside the ring, and it all starts on June 24th, live on DAZN.