Berlanga’s Time To Shine

Edgar Berlanga’s Matchroom debut this weekend is one that initiates excitement, but stands in the shadow of an end goal bigger than just a fighter and his career. 

Headlining at the iconic Madison Square Garden is no mean feat - many a Puerto Rican icon of the past have lit up New York’s centrepiece in the territories’ colours. 

The likes of Miguel Cotto, and Berlanga’s own self-confessed idol Felix Trinidad have donned variations of the red, white and blue whilst writing their legend in boxing’s history books. 

Now, the island is after a new superstar to walk the path its sons have trodden. 

And Berlanga is on track to be next. 

It would be a noteworthy weekend to stamp some authority on the super-middleweight scene too. As fight night draws closer, so does the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade along Manhattan’s fifth avenue. 

If there was ever a time to show up, it was this weekend, in front of your own. 

But in amongst the colours, costumes and congas, there is serious business to attend to. 

There may be slightly more retraction from both Berlanga and promoter Eddie Hearn as Saturday draws closer, but this is, in effect, an audition for Canelo Alvarez. 

It ponders the question: what makes a good audition?

Berlanga’s career can be split into two pretty obvious halves. At one point, he sat 16-0, with all 16 wins coming inside round one. This was a violent finisher. The heir to no throne but a threat to the crown.

Now at 20-0, it is the same sixteen first round wins that light up his knockout column. The next four fights bought with them adversity - for one, Berlanga touched the canvas. 

He did show grit and intellect, still coming out with his hand in the air. 

Adversity, however, comes in many different forms. See, whilst he may not have looked in direct trouble, there have been many an instance in which Berlanga has looked bereft of ideas. 

So when it comes to the first bell, perhaps a show of variation and shrewdness may be worth that little bit more than an over-eagerness to destroy. 

However, in Jason Quigley, there is an opponent who views himself as anything but that… an opponent. 

It was 19 months ago that Quigley’s middleweight world title shot came and went in the blink of an eye - an indignant Demetrius Andrade dropped and stopped the Irishman in two.  

But things are different now. 

Up at super-middleweight, a revitalised Quigley should feel the benefits of both taking and giving out punches. 

The book of knowledge that is Andy Lee will occupy Quigley’s corner too, having been denied Visa access for the November 2021 fight with Andrade. 

What a story it would be if Quigley could echo the spirit of his trainer and bounce back from a stoppage defeat to one day strike gold.

But striking gold at super-middleweight is a warpath that comes with heavy-handed obstacles. And make no mistake, Edgar Berlanga is certainly one of them. 

Oscar Bevis