Former world champion Chris Algieri expects an exciting fight tonight on DAZN between the two unbeaten super middleweight contenders, Edgar Berlanga and Padraig McCrory, at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
Algieri admits that he hadn’t heard of the unbeaten Irishman McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs), and he initially saw it as another fight for Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) against an Irish fighter after his recent win over Jason Quigley.
However, looking at some of McCrory’s past fights, he likes this match-up and believes it’ll be entertaining for as long as it lasts. Algieri sees the 35-year-old McCrory as having a “last stand” for this fight because he cannot afford to lose, given his age.
Naturally, Berlanga is the favorite to win, and that’s expected, considering his promoter, Eddie Hearn, isn’t going to put him in with someone who would beat him, not when he’s got another fight on his contract with Matchroom Boxing.
Hearn hopes that if the 26-year-old Berlanga wins, he can get a big fight against Canelo Alvarez or Jaime Munguia in his third and final fight of his contract.
McCrory’s Strengths
“When this fight was announced, I was like, ‘Who is Padraig McCrory? It’s another Irishman in the way.’ It’s the second Irishman in a row for Berlanga. He fought Quigley in his last fight,” said boxing expert Chris Algieri to Probox TV channel.
“In looking at McCrory’s record and looking at some of his last couple of fights, I don’t hate this fight at all. McCrory does have a good right hand, and what I like about him is he’s very confident. He believes in himself. He believes in his power, and he believes in his chances to win this fight.”
Algieri may not hate this fight but the boxing public is ignoring it, and that’s not a sign. That indicates that Hearn is matching Berlanga against the wrong opposition by putting him in with Jason Quigley and McCrory in back-to-back fights.
The fans gave Berlanga a free pass with his fight against Quigley, but it was a mistake to match him against another obscure fighter that people had never heard of.
It cements fans’ belief that Berlanga’s record is filled with cans and that he’s another fake created by promoters to make him look better than he actually is.
A Last Stand for McCrory
“At 35 years old, this is really the last stand, and he has a big opportunity in front of him,” said Algieri. “A win here will skyrocket him into some really big fights and good money in life-changing type fights. I do believe with his confidence; it’s going to leave a lot of opportunities for Berlanga, who has the power advantage and has very good underrated boxing skills that I’ve said in the past.
McCrory didn’t look confident during the weigh-in on Friday, and he’s also on the thin side. But Berlanga is looked horrible against Quigley and in his three fights before that. Top Rank knew what they were doing when they chose not to re-sign him. He doesn’t have much talent, and that gives McCrory a chance of winning tonight.
“Plus what he’s learned in his last few fights, going the distance, going the rounds. We’re possibly going to see a knockout here. I think we are. I do think it’s going to be an entertaining fight. While it lasts, it’s a shootout. I think Padraig is going to come out throwing right hands. There are going to be opportunities for him early, and we’re going to see Berlanga have to dig deep once again and figure things out,” said Algieri.
