NEW YORK (May 9, 2022) — On the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City, the island nation’s brightest stars are coming to throw down. Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, the flashy super middleweight knockout artist, will defend his NABO belt in the 10-round main event against two-time world title challenger Alexis Angulo.

In the eight-round junior middleweight co-feature, Xander Zayas, the fistic prodigy from San Juan, steps up in class against Uzbekistan-born veteran Ravshan Hudaynazarov.

Berlanga-Angulo and Zayas-Hudaynazarov will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $66 go on sale Wednesday, May 11 at 12 p.m. ET, and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and MSG.com.

“Boxing events at Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade are always special, and we have sensational young talents in Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas topping the bill,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “They are each stepping up in class, and I expect them to perform in a big way in front of a raucous, sold-out arena.”

Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs), at 24 years old, is already one of the biggest ticket-sellers in New York City. In March, a sold-out crowd of 5,158 packed the Hulu Theater for his step-up fight against Steve Rolls, which he won by unanimous decision. Berlanga burst onto the scene with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts to start his career, a ferocious run that captured the imagination of fight fans. The streak ended in April 2021, although Berlanga sent Demond Nicholson to the canvas four times in eight rounds. He survived a gut check that October, overcoming a torn biceps and a trip to the canvas to defeat Marcelo Esteban Coceres. Berlanga is currently the WBO No. 7-ranked super middleweight contender and can edge closer to a world title shot with a victory over Angulo.

Berlanga said, “I’m so pumped to be headlining my second main event at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Get ready for another sold-out crowd! This one will be special because this will be my first main event during the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, just like my idols Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad and Miguel Cotto did. I’m following in the footsteps of greatness, but also continuing the legacy of bringing my people together on a beautiful weekend.

“For this fight, we decided to do the training camp on my Island, and it has been a great decision. It has been a great training camp in Puerto Rico. At the beginning of training camp, I met with ‘Tito’ Trinidad, and he gave me some very encouraging and motivating advice. He is my hero! I’ve been working very hard and I can’t wait to fight on June 11 to show what I’m made off. I will raise the Puerto Rican flag up high and represent for all my Boricuas around the world.” 

Angulo (27-2, 23 KOs), from Patia, Colombia, received his first crack at the brass ring when he challenged Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for the WBO super middleweight title in June 2018. He lost a unanimous decision to Ramirez, bouncing back with a major upset over then-unbeaten prospect Anthony Sims Jr. in January 2020. Less than seven months after the Sims triumph, he fought David Benavidez for the IBF super middleweight crown, falling via 10^th-round TKO. In his lone outing of 2021, Angulo knocked out Carlos Galvan in five rounds. He hopes to upset the apple cart once against Berlanga.

Angulo said, “I look forward to getting back in action at the legendary Madison Square Garden and putting on a great show for all boxing fans, the Colombian fans, Puerto Rican fans, and the Latino community that will show out and support. I have proven to be a skilled, experienced, gritty, and valiant fighter. I intend to bring the same into the ring on June 11 against Edgar Berlanga.”

Zayas (13-0, 9 KOs) has been on the fast track since signing with Top Rank at 16 years old. From first-round knockouts in his first two pro fights in 2019, to a spotless 6-0 run in 2021, Zayas has lived up to the billing. This will be his third consecutive fight under the Madison Square Garden lights, less than three months removed from a one-sided eight-round decision over Quincy “Chico” LaVallais. Hudaynazarov (19-5, 14 KOs) has only been stopped twice in a 14-year professional career and has won two of his last three bouts.

Zayas said, “For me, fighting at Madison Square Garden is always a great opportunity. It fills me with emotion because the fans always bring very positive and motivating energy. This coming June 11, I know it will not be the exception, as this will be my first fight on the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. I assure you that this will be the first of many. I want to continue bringing glory to Puerto Rico and Madison Square Garden, and I will continue to work hard to write my name in the history books as Cotto and Trinidad did.”

The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — features the following Puerto Rican standouts in separate bouts:

Henry Lebron (15-0, 10 KOs), 8 rounds, junior lightweight — Lebron, from Aguadilla, stood out on the Berlanga-Rolls card with a seventh-round TKO over the usually durable Josec Ruiz. Before turning pro, he won Puerto Rican amateur national titles in 2015 and 2016.

Carlos Caraballo (15-1, 14 KOs), 8 rounds, junior featherweight — Co-promoted by Miguel Cotto, the native of Guayanilla survived a gut check versus Luis Fernando Saavedra on March 26, edging a majority decision. Caraballo won his first 14 pro bouts by stoppage before a close unanimous decision loss to Jonas Sultan last October temporarily blunted his momentum.

Josue Vargas (20-2, 9 KOs),8 rounds junior welterweight — Born in Isabela and raised in the Bronx, Vargas returns to the Hulu Theater, site of his first-round knockout loss to Jose Zepeda last October. Vargas regrouped to edge Argentina’s Nicolas Pablo Demario by unanimous decision in March.

Armani Almestica (5-0, 5 KOs), 6 rounds, lightweight — Born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in Orlando, Florida, Almestica broke through on the Berlanga-Rolls card with a third-round stoppage over Luis Valentin Portalatin. The all-action Almestica had a 117-7 amateur record and was on the Puerto Rican national team. He elected to turn pro after the Tokyo Olympics was postponed.

Orlando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs), 8 rounds, featherweight — It is an evening of redemption for Gonzalez, who is coming off a 10-round decision loss to Robeisy Ramirez on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard. The Aguadilla native spent much of his early career fighting in Puerto Rico and will make his Madison Square Garden debut June 11.

Omar Rosario (6-0, 2 KOs), 6 rounds, junior welterweight —A six-time Puerto Rican amateur national champion from Caguas, the 24-year-old fights for the first time since January’s decision win over Raekwon Butler.

Frevian Gonzalez (4-1, 1 KO), 6 rounds, junior lightweight — A stablemate of Puerto Rican two-weight world champion Jose Pedraza, the Cidra native looks to bounce back from last June’s decision defeat to Bryan Lua.

Christina Cruz (2-0), 4 rounds, flyweight – Cruz, an eight-time U.S. national amateur champion, turned pro last summer. Born to Puerto Rican parents, Cruz was raised in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

NEW YORK–Edgar Berlanga won a 10-round unanimous decision over Steve Rolls in what was a lackluster fight in front of a sold out crowd at The Hulu Theater inside of Madison Square Garden of 5,158.

Rolls came out moving and noy wanting to get into harms way of any big shots. In round four, Berlanga was cut over his left eye from what could have been an accidental headbutt. Berlanga came forward the whole night and landed the harder shots. Rolls was able to get in some counters. The packed crowd was in anticipation of a explosive performance form Berlanga, who was headlining for the first time. The crowd size bodes well for Berlanga as he looks to be a big attraction, especially in the New York region.

Berlanga landed 120 of 314 punches; Rolls was 123 of 447.

Berlanga, 167.4 lbs of Brooklyn won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 19-0. Rolls, 167.8 lbs of Toronto, ONT, CAN is 21-2.

Edgar Berlanga

“You could tell that he was fighting scared. Every time I reach in or throw something, he’d pull back and was running the whole fight.”

“I was looking for the big shot. My corner was telling me to use the jab. I’m just happy we got the victory and I’m moving forward.”

“He was a scared fighter. It’s tough to land your shots when he’s scared, especially moving back. When he fought GGG, he brought it to GGG. With me, he tried to use that running tactic.”

Bob Arum (Top Rank Chairman)

“Edgar Berlanga fought a tough, defensive fighter, and he got some valuable rounds in tonight. As you saw from the sold-out crowd, the kid is a star. There are many more big nights to come.”

Zayas Decisions Lavallais

Good looking 19 year-old Xander Zayas literally pounded out a eight-round unanimous decision over iron-chinned Quincy Lavallais in a junior middleweight bout,

In round two, Bauza kept Lavallais on the ropes for much of the round and landed barrages of punches. Zayas continued to beat up Lavallais with thudding body punches that were followed by flush shots on his head. Lavallais showed a tremendous chin.

Before round seven, the ringside doctor took a look at Lavallais. Lavalais was bale to make it to the final bell, but the young Puerto Rican Phenom won by scores of 80-71 and 80-72 twice.

Zayas landed 252 of 573 punches; Lavallais was 66 of 398.

Zayas, 152.6 lbs of San Juan, PR is 13-0. Lavallais, 152.6 lbs of Kenner, LA is 12-3-1.

“I need this type of experience. Eight rounds against a tough opponent will only help me as I move forward in my career.”

“I want to dedicate this fight to my trainer, Javiel Centeno. He showed his love and commitment after what he went through yesterday.”

• Centeno has sciatica and had to go to the hospital Friday evening.

Bauza Decisions Luis

John Bauza remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Tony Luis in a junior welterweight bout.

Bauza landed 109 of 329 punches; Luis was 90 of 449.

Bauza, 140.2 lbs of Coamo, PR won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 and is now 17-0. Luis, 140.8 lbs of Cornwall, ONT, CAN is now 29-5.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Tracey McGruder in a welterweight fight.

Tucker landed 131 of 462 punches; McGruder was 118 of 409.

Tucker, 147.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice, and is now 7-0. McGruder, 147.8 lbs of Rochester, NY is 6-2.

Henry Lebron stopped Josec Ruiz in round seven of a scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

In round seven, Lebron wobbled Ruiz into the corner from combination and the fight was stopped at 2:23.

Lebron, 130.6 lbs of Puerto Rico is 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Ruiz, 130.4 lbs of Limon, HON is 23-6-3.

Bruce Carrington scored an explosive fifth round stoppage over Yueuri Andujar in a scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.

In round three, Andujar was cut above the right eye. Both guys landed some hard combinations with Carrington getting the better of the action. In round five, Andujar came out guns-a-blazing, but he ate a vicious right-left combination that put Andujar flat on his back for several minutes and the fight was stopped at 51 seconds.

Carrington, 129.8 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 3-0 with two knockouts. Andujar, 129.6 lbs of San Cristobal, DR is 5-5-1.

Carrington said, “I want to thank Brownsville and all of Brooklyn for coming out to support me. Fighting as a pro at Madison Square Garden was a dream come true. This is only the beginning.”

Armani Almestica stopped Luis Valentin Portalatin in round three of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout.

Almestica battered Partaltin until the bout was stopped at 1:57.

Almestica, 139.2 lbs of Orlando, FLA is 5-0 with five knockouts. Portalatin, 140.2 lbs of Toa Alta, PR is 3-4.

Kelvin Davis stopped Phillip Carmouche in the opening round of their four-round junior welterweight bout.

Davis dropped Carmouche with a straight left. Davis finished things off with a hard left that drove Carmouche to the ropes and the fight was stopped as he fell again at 1:17

Davis, 143.6 lbs of Norfolk, VA is 4-0 with three knockouts. Carmouche, 144.8 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is 2-3.

 •  Edgar Berlanga 167.4 vs. Steve Rolls 167.8
(Berlanga’s NABO Super Middleweight Title— 10 Rounds)

•   Xander Zayas 152.6 lbs vs. Quincy LaVallais 152.6 lbs 
(Junior Middleweight— 8 Rounds)

   •    John Bauza 140.2 lbs vs. Tony Luis 140.8 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight— 8 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT)

   •    Jahi Tucker 147.8 lbs vs. Tracey McGruder 147.8 lbs
 (Welterweight— 6 Rounds)

   •     Henry Lebron 130.6 lbs vs. Josec Ruiz 130.4 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

   •       Bruce Carrington 129.8 lbs vs. Yeuri Andujar 129.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

   •      Armani Almestica 139.2 lbs vs. Luis Valentin Portalatin 140.2 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

   •      Kelvin Davis 143.6 lbs vs. Phillip Carmouche 144.8 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

NEW YORK (March 17, 2022) — Three of Puerto Rico’s young stars are ready for the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) makes his main event debut Saturday evening in a 10-rounder versus longtime contender Steve Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs).

Xander Zayas (12-0, 9 KOs) takes the co-feature stage in an eight-round junior middleweight bout against Louisiana-born spoiler Quincy LaVallais (12-2-1, 7 KOs).

In the eight-round televised opener, junior welterweight John “El Terrible” Bauza (16-0, 7 KOs) steps up in class against Canadian veteran Tony “Lightning” Luis (29-4, 10 KOs).

The televised tripleheader kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+). Undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (7:15 p.m. ET) and includes the return of Brooklyn-born Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (2-0, 1 KO), Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs), and rising junior lightweight Henry Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs).

This is what the main card fighters had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Edgar Berlanga

“I’m feeling amazing. I want to thank Top Rank and ESPN for finally making it happen here back home. It’s a blessing, man. I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

“It’s about adversity. In my last fight, I tore my biceps in the third round. I broke the guy’s orbital bone in three places. I would have stopped the fight in the 10^th, but I got dropped in the ninth. So, for me, I just feel I needed that for my career. I needed that adversity.”

“Every fighter goes through that in their career, especially being this young. I know I was going to come out of that adversity because having a torn biceps in the third round and fighting seven rounds like that—a lot of fighters would have quit because the pain is just ridiculous. But I took it as it came. We got the victory. I won the WBO NABO title, and we moved to Las Vegas, and now we’re here ready for Saturday.”

“I don’t like to predict nothing. He’s a tough veteran. He went in there with the best. And for me, I’m just looking forward to putting on a show. I’m ready to blow the roof off this place. I’m just ready to explode. It’ll be fireworks like always.”

Steve Rolls

“I think he wants to step up and get closer to a world title shot. He wants a challenge. That’s why they chose me. I’m sure he could have taken an easier route. But, credit to him for picking an opponent of my caliber.”

“I’m going to bring experience into this fight. I still got big goals that I have and that I need to accomplish. That’s all that fight was [against Golovkin]. It wasn’t a fight where I was getting blown out or that wasn’t competitive. I made a mistake. He has experience. And I think that’s going to serve me well on Saturday night.”

“I have goals. I want to put a world title around my waist, so we both have pressure on us. He’s not the only one with pressure. This is a fight that we both need. Training camp went well. I’m strong. A lot of people say this, but I’m really in the best shape in my life right now. So, that’s what drives me, man. When I set out to do this, I set out to put a world title around my waist. That’s what keeps me moving forward.”

Xander Zayas

“I’m super excited. It’s my first fight of the year. It’s an eight-rounder against a great opponent. That’s what we were looking for. I’m ready to put on a show Saturday night.”

“It’s a good fight. I wouldn’t say it’s the biggest challenge yet because the biggest challenge is yet to come. It’s another stepping stone. I’ve got to put on a show. I’ve got to make a statement and show the world that I’m here to stay.”

“It all starts with the team and the family. I have a great team and a great family. I know what I’m here to do. I know what my dreams are. I just have to stay focused, keep winning and keep moving forward. That’s what keeps me really grounded.”

Quincy LaVallais

“I feel like my experience will help me in this fight. I don’t feel he’s fully developed yet to be a 154-pounder. I feel like he’s a good fighter, but I’m going to take him to a different level to show him that it’s a different ballgame here.”

“It makes me feel good to know that I can go to somebody’s hometown, beat them, take a couple of their fans, and then go back home and do it again. I’m going to keep on doing it, over and over again.”

John Bauza

“I want to thank God and Top Rank for putting me on ESPN. I didn’t know that was going to happen. I’m very happy that I’m going to be part of that main card.”

“From the beginning, I’ve dedicated myself to being the better boxer. I’ve always liked to implement a nice boxing style, to hit and not get it. But because they were criticizing me a lot, saying I didn’t have any power or that I was boring, I decided to show people that I have power and that I can knock people out. We will see what happens in this fight. We will win, which is most important.”

“It fills me with pride to be next to two future stars, just like I will be as well, and to demonstrate that Puerto Rico is still alive in this sport.”

Tony Luis

“I’ve stayed in shape. I’ve stayed active. We had some trouble last year in getting some fights to materialize. The stuff with COVID kind of sabotaged them. It was out of my control. I stayed in the gym. I stayed active. I’ve been sparring. So, I feel good, and my body is now healthy, too.”

“It’s an honor to be fighting here. We’ve come close before in my career to being here, but things fell through. But now I’m finally here, and it’s nice.”

“I definitely rise up to the level of opponent in front of me. I know the odds are stacked against me. Politically, me winning does not fit the agenda. I know that. That just fuels me. I’ve trained to be at my best. I’m expecting him to be at his best also. It’s going to be a tough fight.”

SATURDAY, March 19
ESPN & ESPN Deportes (Simulcast on ESPN+)
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Edgar Berlanga vs. Steve Rolls, 10 rounds, Berlanga’s NABO Super Middleweight Title

John Bauza vs. Tony Luis, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Live and Exclusively on ESPN+
7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT
Jahi Tucker vs. Tracey McGruder, 6 rounds, welterweight

Kelvin Davis vs. Phillip Carmouche, 4 rounds, junior welterweight

NEW YORK (March 16, 2022) — At only 19 years old, Puerto Rican junior middleweight phenom Xander Zayas believes 2022 is the year he takes things to the next level. Zayas, who hails from San Juan and now lives in South Florida, will fight Louisiana native Quincy LaVallais in his first scheduled eight-rounder Saturday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Zayas-LaVallais will serve as the co-feature to the Edgar Berlanga-Steve Rolls super middleweight main event live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Zayas (12-0, 9 KOs), who signed with Top Rank at 16 years of age, begins his 2022 campaign following a 2021 that saw him fight six times and earn Prospect of the Year consideration. His last two fights ended via knockout, but he takes a sizable step up against LaVallais (12-2-1, 7 KOs), a six-year pro who has never been knocked out. LaVallais is known to fight fans for his December 2020 upset over Clay Collard inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. He is 2-2 since the Collard triumph, with both defeats coming via close decision.

This is what Zayas had to say following his New York City arrival.

“After a very good year in 2021, my goals this year are to have at least four fights, keep moving up in opposition, and finish the year fighting in 10-rounders. I would love to win a regional title and finish the year in the top 15 of the junior middleweight division.” 

“Being back in NYC is something that excites me and motivates me at the same time. Fighting once again at Madison Square Garden and as the co-feature feels amazing. This is such a great opportunity. I’m super grateful for everything Top Rank and my team has done for me.”

“In the not-so-distant future, MSG will be my second home, just like it was for Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad.  I want to fill MSG up and bring a lot of glory to my people from Puerto Rico and New York. I want to give my fans a great show.” 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

NEW YORK (March 15, 2022) — Featherweight prodigy Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the latest standout boxer to come from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, makes his New York City debut this Saturday, March 19 in a six-rounder against Yeuri Andujar at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Carrington-Andujar, which will be contested at junior lightweight, highlights undercard action before the 10-round super middleweight main event featuring Brooklyn’s Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga against Steve Rolls.

Berlanga-Rolls, an eight-round junior middleweight bout between Xander Zayas and Quincy LaVallais, and unbeaten junior welterweight John Bauza in an eight-rounder versus Tony Luis will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Carrington-Andujar and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT.

Carrington (2-0, 1 KO) had a nearly decade-long run as one of Team USA’s star amateurs, including a victory in the 125-pound division of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He turned pro last October on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard and made his Top Rank debut in January with a stunning second-round stoppage over Steven Brown. Andujar (5-4-1, 3 KOs), from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, is coming off a six-round draw last December against Pablo Cruz (22-4 at the time).

In other undercard action streaming on ESPN+:

• Long Island-born welterweight sensation Jahi Tucker (6-0, 4 KOs), a 19-year-old power puncher, hopes to increase his knockout streak to three when he battles Tracey McGruder (6-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. The explosive Tucker opened eyes in January with his second-round blitzing of the normally durable Akeem Black.
   
• Rising Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) steps up in class against Honduran veteran Josec Ruiz (23-5-3, 16 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Ruiz, a 10-year pro, has never been knocked out.
   
• Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs), the eldest of the fighting Davis Brothers from Norfolk, Virginia, will face Phillip Carmouche (2-2) in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Davis made his Top Rank debut last December at Madison Square Garden and notched a second-round stoppage.
   
• Lightweight prospect Armani Almestica (4-0, 4 KOs), a 20-year-old from Orlando, Florida, returns in a six-round lightweight battle against Eliseo Villalobos (2-2, 1 KO). As an amateur, Almestica was a force, winning gold at the 2017 USA Junior Olympics and 2018 USA Youth National Championships.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

About ESPN+ 
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NEW YORK (March 11, 2022) —Lightweight star Keyshawn Davis, the Olympic silver medalist from Norfolk, Virginia, has a non-COVID-related virus and was forced to withdraw from his March 19 bout against Esteban Sanchez at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
 
The new televised opener will feature Puerto Rican junior welterweight prospect John “El Terrible” Bauza against Canadian veteran Tony “Lightning” Luis in an eight-rounder. Bauza joins a pair of his countrymen atop the MSG bill, as super middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga battles Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event. Xander Zayas, San Juan’s 19-year-old phenom, takes on Louisiana native Quincy LaVallais in the eight-round co-feature.
 
Berlanga-Rolls, Zayas-LaVallais and Bauza-Luis will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Bauza (16-0, 7 KOs), from Cataño, Puerto Rico, enters this assignment coming off the two most impressive showings of his career. Last June, he knocked down Christon Edwards three times en route to a second-round stoppage. Bauza followed the Edwards domination with last December’s fourth-round drubbing over the previously unbeaten Michael Williams Jr. The 23-year-old southpaw now steps up against Luis (29-4, 10 KOs), a 34-year-old who has knocked off three undefeated prospects in his career. He went unbeaten for more than five years until an August 2020 decision loss to top contender Arnold Barboza Jr.

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 16, 2022) — Super middleweight contender Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga went the distance twice last year following 16 first-round stoppages to begin his pro career. After surgery to repair a torn biceps suffered last October against Marcelo Esteban Coceres, Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) will make his 2022 debut Saturday, March 19 in a 10-rounder against Steve Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The Brooklyn-born Berlanga is ready to begin a new knockout streak against Rolls, a Canadian veteran who has a pair of knockout wins since a 2019 TKO defeat to Gennadiy Golovkin.

The Night of Young Stars —Berlanga-Rolls, Keyshawn Davis-Esteban Sanchez, and Xander Zayas-Quincy LaVallais — will be broadcast live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

This is what Berlanga had to say at his Las Vegas training camp.

“I think 2022 is going to be a big year for me, and I can’t wait to kick it off in my first main event in New York. I learned a lot from my last fight, and I’ve been working really hard on correcting my mistakes. After my surgery, I chose to do my rehab out here in Las Vegas so I could not only do physical therapy with the best team in the business, but also focus 100 percent on boxing. The fans are going to see big things from me this year beginning March 19.”

“Having my first main event at home is amazing. I’m ready to show everyone what I’m made of. I want people to see that I can sell out an arena. I don’t need to have a title or a big-name opponent to sell tickets. I have a fanbase, and everyone is going to see that on March 19.”

“I’m proud to represent New York City and Puerto Rico. I want to be the next great Puerto Rican champion. My first memories of boxing are watching Tito Trinidad fight as a little kid, and I want to give the Puerto Rican people someone that they can be proud of.”  

NEW YORK (Jan. 20, 2022) — Three future fistic superstars are set to unite under the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Brooklyn-born super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will defend his NABO belt against crafty Canadian Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, whose family hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, makes his main event debut in his stiffest test to date.

In the junior middleweight co-feature, 19-year-old Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas will fight in his first scheduled eight-rounder against Louisiana-born spoiler Quincy “Chico” LaVallais.

The eight-round televised opener will see the return of lightweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis against Mexican veteran Esteban Sanchez.

Berlanga-Rolls, Zayas-LaVallais and Davis-Sanchez will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 go on sale Friday, Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

“Edgar, Xander and Keyshawn are future pound-for-pound superstars, and it will be a special evening in front of a sold-out New York City crowd,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “All three are in there with the toughest fights of their respective careers, but I expect them to pass with flying colors.”

Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) took the boxing world by storm with 16 straight first-round knockouts to open his pro career. He went the distance twice in 2021, opening his campaign in April by knocking down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds in an ESPN-televised rout. Berlanga returned on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III card in October, defeating Marcelo Esteban Coceres via 10-round unanimous decision despite suffering a torn biceps in the third round and the first knockdown of his career in the ninth.

Berlanga said, “I’m so excited to fight in my first main event in my hometown. It’s a dream come true for a fighter representing New York City and Puerto Rico. I can’t wait to show the world what I’m truly about. We are going to blow the roof off the Hulu Theater, so grab your tickets early and get your popcorn ready for this performance.”

Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs), a 37-year-old from Toronto, is an 11-year pro who was an undefeated middleweight contender before moving up in weight. In June 2019, he challenged pound-for-pound stalwart Gennadiy Golovkin at Madison Square Garden and found some success in the second round before being stopped in the fourth. Rolls has tallied two wins since the Golovkin bout, most recently knocking out Christopher Brooker in the ninth round last month on the Artur Beterbiev-Marcus Browne undercard in Montreal.

Rolls said, “I’m happy to be back headlining at Madison Square Garden. Training camp has been going well, and I feel very strong with nothing but war on my mind. Berlanga has power, but I’ll be ready for whatever he brings. I’m looking forward to March 19. I’ll see you then.”

Zayas (12-0, 9 KOs) had a breakthrough 2021, going 6-0 with four knockouts while being mentioned prominently in Prospect of the Year debates. He made his Madison Square Garden debut last December and finished his 2021 campaign by knocking out Alessio Mastronunzio in the first round. He steps up against LaVallais (12-2-1, 7 KOs), who notched a December 2020 upset over Clay Collard at the MGM Grand Bubble. LaVallais, who is 2-2 since the Collard victory, has never been knocked out.

Zayas said, “It’s an honor to fight again at Madison Square Garden, where I know my Puerto Rican people will come out to show their support. 2021 was a great year, but I’m looking forward to an even bigger 2022. Quincy LaVallais is a solid veteran, so I can’t overlook him. I want to make a major statement on March 19.”

Davis (4-0, 3 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, won three bouts in the first five months of 2021 before journeying to Tokyo and earning a silver medal. He then signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank and improved to 4-0 with a second-round stoppage over Jose Zaragoza on December 11. Davis makes his 2022 debut against Sanchez (18-1, 8 KOs), a 23-year-old from Ensenada, Mexico, who has won two straight bouts and will be making his American debut.

Davis said, “I put on a show at Madison Square Garden in December, and I’m going to do it again. Esteban Sanchez is supposed to be my hardest fight as a pro, but it’s going to be easy work. The Davis Brothers are coming to represent Norfolk and leave no doubt that we are the future of boxing.”

Undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and is scheduled to include a host of undefeated talents, including Puerto Rican junior welterweight John “El Terrible” Bauza (16-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder, welterweight and Berlanga’s New York City stablemate Pablo “Pretty Boy” Valdez (6-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round attraction, Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder, and a four-rounder featuring junior welterweight Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs).

ALL GUESTS AGE 5 AND OLDER are required to provide proof they have received either two doses of a two-shot COVID-19 vaccination, or one dose of a single-shot vaccine. 

Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask. Please note that full COVID-19 vaccination means the day of your event is at least 14 days after your final vaccine dose. Everyone else age 2 and older is required to wear a mask while in the venue, except while actively eating or drinking. 

Government mandates, venue protocols and event requirements are also subject to change, so be sure to continue to check MSG.com for the latest information. 

LAS VEGAS – It was wild. Wildly chaotic. Wildly sloppy. It careened from reckless to dangerous, from crazy to classic.

Wildly wonderful.

In the end, the wild victory belonged to Tyson Fury, who scored a knockdown in the third round, got up twice in the fourth, scored another knockdown in the tenth and finished exhausted Deontay Wilder in the eleventh.

The end, the closing blow, at 1:10 of the eleventh Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena was appropriate for a heavyweight title fight that included just about everything.

Amid the chaos, it was clean and crisp. It was a right hand that traveled through midair looking like an orbiting projectile.

It landed, ground zero, on the side of Wilder’s face. He was out. Unconscious, he fell along the ropes and onto the canvas, a wild man in name only.

For Wilder, there was some cruel irony that the end would come at the end of Fury’s right hand. The right was his defining weapon. It’s how he climbed to the top of the division. In the end, it his rival’s right that brought him down, toppled him and perhaps his career.

“I hope he goes down in history as a great fighter,’’ Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) said during an interview in the middle of the ring moments after the fourth. “I hope.’’

Fury won’t have to hope about his place in history.

“Like the great John Wayne said: Iron and steel, baby,’’ Fury said.

Wayne, iron and steel endure. So, too will the memory of this, Fury’s defining triumph.

“I have never seen a heavyweight fight like this,’’ said Fury co-promoter Bob Arum, who promoted the great Muhammad Ali. “Two tremendous warriors.’’

Fury might not be the most refined heavyweight. He’s not Ali. But he ranks as one of the smartest ever in the fabled division. At 6-foot-9 and jiggly, nobody would pick him out of a lineup as a world heavyweight champ. He doesn’t look the part.

Even against Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs), his midsection shook like Jello. But it shook because he was bouncing on his toes, resilient as ever after knockdowns that might have been the end of any other heavyweight.

At times, it looked as if it might be enough for Wilder to win the third fight in a turbulent trilogy with Fury. He hurt Fury in the fourth, knocking him down for the first time within those three minutes with the deadly punch.

But Fury got up, looking composed as he sat down on a stool with Wilder’s likeness emblazoned on top of it. Fury sat there, looking as though he knew he would eventually flush Wilder away in defeat.

He could see the doubt, then fatigue in Wilder’s eyes. With patience and then power, he would finish him. And he did.

“Don’t ever doubt me,’’ said Fury, who retained his lineal and World Boxing Council titles. “When the chips are down, I will always deliver.’’

There was no post-fight reaction from Wilder. He was taken to the emergency room at a Las Vegas hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition.

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Frank Sanchez wins unanimous decision

There was controversy. When is a knockdown really a knockdown? Who knows? There appeared to be no answer in a strange seventh round of a heavyweight bout between Frankie Sanchez and Efe Ajagba. 

In the end, it didn’t matter. Sanchez made sure of it. He had all of the other answers. Foot speed and accuracy were enough for Sanchez (19-0, 13 KOs) to score a unanimous decision over Ajagba (15-1, 12 KOs) in the final fight before the third step in the Fury-Wilder trilogy.

In the seventh, a long right from Sanchez appeared to put Ajagba onto one knee. The Cuban heavyweight quickly followed with a left uppercut that put the Nigerian on his butt. But there was no count, no point reduction, no nothing from referee Mike Ortega.

It was as if it didn’t happen. Truth is, it had no impact on the result. There’s no doubt about Sanchez’ victory.

Helenius wins sixth-round TKO

There were low blows. There was confusion. In the end, there was only Robert Helenius.

Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs), a Swede who sparred with Deontay Wilder at his Alabama training camp for Saturday night’s third fight with Tyson Fury, emerged from it all with a victory over Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs). Officially, it was a TKO at 38 seconds of the sixth round. Initially, it looked to be a disqualification of Kownacki for throwing a low blow.

A low blow from Kownacki in the third sent Helenius to the canvas in evident pain. Helenius had been dominating most of the fight, which started with him landing a big right onto Kownacki’s left eye. By the third round, it looked as if the eye was swollen shut.

Jared Anderson rolls on, scoring second-round TKO

He is being hyped as the heavyweight of the future. That future got a little closer Saturday night in the first fight on an all heavyweight pay-per-view card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Jared Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs), of Toledo OH,  rocked and rolled all over Russian Vladimir Tereshkin (22-1-1, 12 KOs), leaving him dazed, defenseless and defeated within just two rounds.

Anderson fired a succession of punches, a blend of power and speed, all while moving forward. Tereshkin never had a chance. Referee Kenny Bayless ended it, a TKO, with the Russian standing motionless and helpless at 2:51 of the second round. 

Berlanga survives knockdown, wins decision.

Edgar Berlanga‘s apparent ride to a world title suddenly took a couple of unexpected turns. Both took him to places he’s never been. Never heard. 

First, there was the canvas. He was knocked flat on his back. 

Then, there were boos. 

In the end, Berlanga escaped with his unbeaten record (18-0, 16 KOs) intact. He won a  decision, unanimous on the cards but not so unanimous in a crowd gathering for the Fury-Wilder heavyweight collision. He beat a tireless Argentine, Marcelo Coceres (30-3-1, 16 KOs), whose ceaseless movement confused him throughout 10 rounds. Then, there was Cocere’s right hand. That nearly stopped him.

The right put Berlanga down in the ninth of 10 rounds. He got up, surprised and perhaps embarrassed. But he was never able to really elude the right or catch Cocere’s with a clean shot of feared power. But he did enough, at least in the judges’ eye’s. All three scored it 96-93

Julian Williams loses split decision

Julian Williams started fast. Faded late.

In the end, he fell, losing a split decision to bloodied, yet resilient Vladimir Hernandez in a junior-middleweight bout, the fourth fight on the card featuring Fury-Wilder.

Williams (27-3-1, 16 KOs) , a former 154-pound champion, was in control early. He cut Hernandez (13-4, 6 KOs)badly. Blood streamed from a nasty wound at one corner of Hernandez’ eye. The Mexican looked beaten. But he wasn’t. He began rocking Williams with precise shots midway through the 10-rounder. At times in the final two rounds, Williams looked exhausted. Hernandez saw the fatigue. So did a small crowd. So, too did, two of the judges. On two cards, it was 96-94 and 97-93 for Hernandez. On the third, it was 96-94 for Williams.

Robeisy Ramirez wins a yawner

It was a unanimous decision. A unanimous bore, too.

Featherweight Robeisy Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) put on a performance that made Guillermo Ringondeaux look exciting. Still, it was enough for a 99-91, 97-93, 99-91 decision over Olrando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs on the Fury-Wilder undercard..

Ramirez is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, including a victory over Shakur Stevenson in the gold-medal bout at the 2016 Rio Games. He must have put Stevenson to sleep with his slick, no-risk tactics. No wonder nobody watches Olympic boxing any more.

Featherweight prospect scores shutout in debut

Bruce Carrington, a potential featherweight prospect from Brooklyn, scored a shutout in his debut.

He won, beating Cesar Cantu (3-2, 1 KO) in a professional introduction that was a unanimous success on the scorecards and to the handful of fans seated at T-Mobile a few hours before the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder heavyweight title fight. He won, 40-36, on all three cards.

Carrington’s combination of power and hand-speed repeatedly rocked Cantu, a tough Texas who somehow stayed on his feet throughout the four rounds.  

First Bell: Heavyweight Viktor Faust wins third-round TKO

LAS VEGAS — It started early. It ended early.

A heavyweight card featuring Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder began with a heavyweight matinee
Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. 

Unbeaten Ukrainian Viktor Faust (8-0, 6 KOs) flashed his power quickly, knocking Mike Marshall  (6-2-1, 4 KOs) off balance and forcing him to slip in the second round of a scheduled eight. A round later, Faust finished the job, scoring a crushing knockdown of Marshall, of Danbury, CT, down. Marshall was dazed and done, a TKO loser at 1:49 of the third.

LAS VEGAS (September 20, 2021) — Brooklyn’s newest young knockout prodigy and a former unified world champion from Philadelphia will see action Saturday, Oct. 9 at T-Mobile Arena in preliminary bouts before the highly anticipated heavyweight trilogy grudge match between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will fight former world title challenger Marcelo Esteban “El Terrible” Coceres in a scheduled 10-round showdown for the vacant NABO super middleweight belt, while Julian “J-Rock” Williams will face Mexico’s Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round junior middleweight bout in his first fight since losing his title belts.

Berlanga-Coceres and Williams-Hernandez will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, FS1 and FOX Deportes, and simulcast on ESPN+. Preliminary bouts will stream live on the ESPN App and FOX Sports App starting at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

The all-heavyweight Fury vs. Wilder III ESPN+ and FOX Sports PPV bonanza begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba squaring off against fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” in the 10-round co-main event; the highly anticipated 12-round rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius and Adam “Babyface”Kownacki; and the eight-round PPV opener featuring 21-year-old sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson versus Russian veteran Vladimir Tereshkin.

Tickets for Fury vs. Wilder III are on sale now and can be purchased at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by Top Rank, BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Berlanga (17-0, 16 KOs), the Brooklyn-bred puncher with Puerto Rican roots, became one of boxing’s most talked-about fighters by scoring first-round knockouts in his first 16 fights. The 2020 Prospect of the Year, he’s walked to the ring with mentor and multi-platinum hip hop artist Fat Joe and become a social media sensation with his highlight-reel stoppages. The knockout streak ended in April, as Berlanga knocked down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds and had to settle for a unanimous decision. Coceres (30-2-1, 16 KOs), from Argentina, challenged Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO super middleweight world title in November 2019 and was nearly level on the scorecards before being knocked out in the 11^th round. He last fought in June, knocking out Nelson Nicolas Rosalez in the second round.

Berlanga said, “I am thrilled to be fighting on the Fury-Wilder III card, and I am coming do what I always do, which is to steal the show and knock out my opponent in devastating fashion. Coceres is in for a rude awakening on October 9. Do not get up for a snack when I’m fighting. It’s going to be a short, brutal night. Count on it.”

“Berlanga can say what he wants about making it a short night or whatever. The biggest talkers are usually the most insecure,” said Coceres. “I know what I bring to the table. I’ve been in there with the better fighters, while he’s feasted on a diet of nobodies. In my mind, it won’t be an upset when I beat this kid. On October 9, it is man versus boy, and that boy is in for a rude awakening.”

Philadelphia’s Williams (27-2-1, 16 KOs) became a unified world champion at 154-pounds in May 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd in one of the year’s best fights, winning a close-quarters brawl by unanimous decision. The 31-year-old dropped the titles in his first defense, losing to Jeison Rosario in January 2020. Williams had been riding a five-fight winning streak going into the Rosario matchup, in which he added victories over former champion Ishe Smith and hard-hitting contender Nathaniel Gallimore to his ledger. He returns to action on Oct. 9 against the 32-year-old Hernandez (12-4, 6 KOs). Originally from Durango, Mexico, Hernandez now lives in Denver, Colorado, and most recently earned a decision victory over longtime contender Alfredo Angulo in August 2020.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete on this amazing card,” said Williams. “I’m excited to be getting back in the ring and starting my journey back to the very top of the division.”

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity to get back in the ring on October 9,” said Hernandez. “I expect Julian Williams to be prepared like I am to give the fans a great fight. I have been doing nothing but staying ready and training since my last fight. I promise that I’m going to bring the action when that bell rings.”

Preliminary bouts include a 10-round featherweight bout between two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (7-1, 4 KOs) and unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Orlando “Capu” Gonzalez (17-0, 10 KOs), heavyweight phenom Viktor Faust (7-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder against Mike Marshall (6-1, 4 KOs), the pro debut of former U.S. amateur star Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington in a four-round featherweight contest against an opponent to be named, and junior welterweight standout Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (11-1-1, 10 KOs) versus Victor Vazquez (11-5, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.toprank.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing,  @TGBPromotions, @TMobileArena and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing.

By Kyle Kinder-

Jesse Hart isn’t the only Top Rank fighter angling for a showdown against Brooklyn-born KO-artist Edgar Berlanga (17-0, 16KO).  Unbeaten Tennessean Tyler Howard (19-0, 11KO) is hoping he’ll be the next boxer with a chance to stamp the first “L” on Berlanga’s record. 

Earlier in the year Howard thought he might get a crack at the Puerto Rican wrecking ball, but the stars never aligned.

“To be totally honest this was brought to my attention in January,” the 27 year-old Howard recalled.  “They [Howard’s management team] called me…and said that it was a possibility for me to fight him on the card that just passed in Kissimmee on April 24th.  I tested positive for COVID at that time, and then for whatever reason the fight didn’t develop and Demond Nicholson ended up taking the fight.”

Against Nicholson, Berlanga was made to fight beyond the opening round for the first time in his career.  Not only that, despite sending Nicholson to the mat four times, Berlanga was stretched all eight rounds, where he picked up his first win via decision.

“If that fight had been a nine round fight, Demond Nicholson wouldn’t have made it because Edgar cracked him at the end of the eighth round and hurt him very bad,” Howard said.  “So that was extremely impressive.”

While Howard was complementary of Berlanga’s ability to retain punching power over a twenty-four minute window, he wasn’t impressed by his stamina.

“Edgar performed very well, but he did get tired in the later rounds and I feel like that’s something we can capitalize on,” said Howard.  “And Edgar has been knocked down in the past, he got knocked down in the amateurs and that hasn’t been long ago.  If you got a weak chin, you got a weak chin, and that’s just the way it is.  And I don’t think he fights very well on his back foot.  Whenever Nicholson was planting his feet and trying to walk through him and putting his punches together, he had some success.”

Although Howard’s last three contests have been fought at middleweight, his most impressive win arguably came at super middleweight against once-beaten Isaiah Seldon in 2018.  In that bout, Howard sent Seldon crashing to the mat twice and ended the fight in just :90 seconds. 

Even still, with Berlanga fighting at super middleweight, Howard prefers any potential match be fought at a catchweight.  But he’s realistic about who holds the cards.

“Obviously I’d want to make some kind of catchweight,” said Howard.  “If you look in the past he’s weighed 162, 164.  Recently he’s been making 168.  At the end of the day, he would be the A-side in this, he’s the one that carries the star-power, he’s the one that’s been dominating, he’s earned everything that he’s got.  So if I had to go up to 168 to fight him, I’d go up and do it.”

And while a possible bang up with Berlanga is an idea that has Howard fired up, he doesn’t view his fistic future as Berlanga-or-bust.

“One thing I want to make clear is that I’m not going to put my career on halt for Edgar Berlanga,” Howard said.  “If that fight isn’t there, it’s not there.  The middleweight division is loaded with big fights to be made, they’re everywhere.  I’m definitely not banking my career on a fight with Edgar Berlanga, but if they call me and the money and timing’s right then yeah, I’m down to bump with him.”

If they did mix it up, that fight would likely take place in late July or early August, as Berlanga is expected to become a father early next month.  But if their paths do cross inside the ropes, Howard fancies his chances. 

“I definitely think I can beat him,” Howard said. “If I didn’t think I could beat him, I wouldn’t take the fight.  But the most important thing is you have to figure out a way to neutralize his power because it doesn’t matter who you are if Edgar Berlanga catches you clean, he’s going to shut your ass down…that’s just the fact of the matter.”

To help prepare for his next fight, whether it be against Berlanga or not, Howard plans to head down to Houston, TX to work with Bobby Benton, who he thinks will help him get the most out of his power.  

“One thing he [Berlanga] will realize real fucking fast is that I can punch too,” Howard said.  “My knockout ratio doesn’t reflect how hard I punch…and my hands are a lot faster than his.  If I can get him on the inside trading with me, I’m going to win those exchanges.”

According to Howard, a potential Berlanga clash “is all about risk versus reward.” 

The risk is obvious, and Howard wants to take it.

The reward? To become a Van Helsing of sorts…to become the man that stops the Monster.

By Kyle Kinder-

Just after midnight on January 13, 2020, in the center of the boxing ring inside the Hard Rock’s Etess Arena in Atlantic City, Jesse Hart (26-3, 21KO) stood shoulder to shoulder with referee Harvey Dock, awaiting the verdict of his ten round light heavyweight clash against Joe Smith Jr.  Moments later, dinging from the ringside bell echoed through the arena and public address announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. read the judge’s scorecards: 97-92 Smith, 95-94 Hart, 98-91 Smith. 

The split-decision loss capped what had been a frustrating night for Hart, who was hoping to build momentum after scoring a unanimous decision over Sullivan Barrera in his prior outing.  But any immediate feelings of disappointment quickly gave way to concern. 

In the leadup to the Smith match, during training camp, Hart injured his right hand.  He thought he’d be able to fight through the pain, but in round two, after landing a short, awkwardly placed punch, Hart’s injury went from tolerable to severe.  Reluctant and unable to let his right hand go for the final seven-plus rounds, Hart tried to rely on his legs to evade the bigger, plodding Smith.  But it was to no avail.  A post-fight medical evaluation revealed damaged ligaments and a torn tendon, injuries that Hart was told were potentially “career ending.”

“I had one hand, I had to use my legs, I had to use my other attributes and my athleticism came into play,” Hart said about the Smith fight.  “When I have one hand, how am I going to stand in there and trade with a big puncher like Joe Smith, who is a bigger man than me?…People always say don’t make excuses, but that’s just the truth.”  He added, “With one hand, he was just too strong and I couldn’t hold him off with one hand.”

Eager to put the Smith fight in his rearview and fix his right hand, Hart braced for a major operation that would put him out of commission for a few months.  However, due to COVID-19, he wasn’t able to schedule his operation, which fell into the category of “elective surgery”, until June 5th, almost five months after his fight with Smith. 

During various post-surgery doctor visits, Hart sought clearance to resume training, but was continually rebuffed.  So for the last eight-plus months, heeding the advice of his doctors, Hart took it easy. 

“I’ve been really trying to let my hand heal, spending time with my family, my son and my daughter, and just trying to regain focus,” said Hart.  “It took major surgery and a long healing process, being patient, not wanting to punch….but I’m back to 100%, I feel a lot better.” 

Once Hart was finally greenlit to lace up his gloves again, he decided it best to part ways with head trainer Fred Jenkins.  Hart now hones his craft in North Philadelphia’s Philly 1 on 1 Boxing Gym, where he linked up with Boze Ennis, father of unbeaten welterweight phenom, Jaron “Boots” Ennis.  

“I recently made that switch and I’m starting to get comfortable with Boze and we’re starting to work real good,” Hart said.  He went on to state that while things didn’t necessarily get stale with Jenkins, Boze is “fresher.” 

With a healed right hand and new trainer at the helm, Hart now has his sights set on a potential June 12 matchup in Las Vegas against ultra-hyped super middleweight KO artist, Edgar Berlanga (17-0, 16KO).

“I think he’s a good puncher and over time he’ll develop, but I don’t think much of him,” Hart said of Berlanga. “I don’t think he’s ready for a guy of my caliber.  When Bob [Arum] said he wanted to do that, I literally jumped at that chance.  This is definitely a big fight for me, I won’t lie.  It’s definitely a big risk taking fight for me….I’m taking a gamble, but I know this kid can’t beat me and he won’t beat me in June.”

Hart’s only two losses at super middleweight have come in the form of razor-thin defeats in world title bouts against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.  Dropping back down to super middleweight from light heavyweight is a welcome change for Hart, who feels he does his best work at 168.

“I’m naturally a super middleweight….I talked to my mother and my mother said she thought I was too big.  She was saying, ‘You’re light Jesse, why are you fighting these big guys?’  She wasn’t always involved in my career, but she was saying the guys at 175 were too big, and my dad was saying that too…but now that I’m back here I feel comfortable.”

As of a week ago, Hart and Berlanga now have a common opponent on their resume in Demond Nicholson.  Nicholson was stopped by Hart in the seventh round of their 2018 contest, but went the distance in an eight round contest against Berlanga, becoming the only Berlanga opponent to make it out of round one in the process.

With regards to the Berlanga-Nicholson fight, Hart said, “Styles make fights.  He didn’t stop Demond Nicholson, but he did knock him down (four times).  I think Berlanga showed he had power, but I don’t think he showed smarts, I don’t think he showed skills, and I don’t think he showed athleticism.  He was getting hit a lot.”

Ever the boxing historian, Hart thinks a potential Berlanga fight would play out like another Philadelphia vs. Puerto Rico battle: Bernard Hopkins v Felix Trinidad.

“You saw what happened with Bernard Hopkins and Tito Trinidad,” the presumed underdog Hart, said. “He didn’t care that the whole Garden was against him.  He went in there and did his job and got Tito out of there.  It’s going to play out like that.  If this fight gets made, it will be a hell of a fight, but I got me stopping him in eight rounds.  I got both of my hands, I’m living right, I’m healthy, there’s no way this thing goes eight rounds June 12.”

Emanuel Navarrete made the 1st defense of the WBO featherweight title with a 12th round stoppage over Christopher Diaz at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida.

In round four, Navarrete landed a leaping left uppercut to the bottom of the Diaz chin and put him on the seat of his pants.

In round seven, Diaz was deducted a point for hitting in the back. In round eight, Navarrete landed a left uppercut followed by a right hand that sent Diaz down. Seconds later, a ripping combination sent Diaz, who was now bleeding around his left eye, down again. In round 11, Diaz was bleeding from the nose and mouth.

A furious 12th round saw both guys stand toe-to-toe with both Navarrete and Diaz landing huge shots until a big right stopped Diaz in his tracks which gave Navarrete the opportunity to land some hard shots to the open face of Diaz. Diaz ate a big barrage of punches that finally sent him to the canvas. The fight was stopped by bith the corner and the referee at 2:49.

Navarrete, 126 lbs of Mexico is now 34-1 with 29 knockouts. Diaz, 125.8 lbs if Barranquilla, PR is 26-3.

Berlanga Goes Past one; Drops Nicholson Four times and wins Decision

Edgar Berlanga was finally forced to go past one round. In-fact he was taken the full eight-round distance and won a unanimous decision over Demond Nicholson in a super middleweight bout.

Berlanga was dominant in dropping Nicholson in rounds one, five, six and an almost fight ending right hand that put Nicholson down in round eight..

Berlanga landed 110 of 306 punches; Nicholson was 82 of 392.

Berlanga, 168.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 79-68 and 79-69 twice and is now 17-0. Nicholson, 168.2 lbs of Laurel, MD is 23-4-1.

(ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)

    •    Emanuel Navarrete 126 lbs vs.Christopher Diaz 125.8 lbs 
(Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Chris Flores, Alexander Levin, and Patricia Morse Jarman
Referee: Samuel Burgos

•          Edgar Berlanga 168.4 lbs vs. Demond Nicholson 168.2 lbs 
(Super Middleweight— 8 Rounds)
Judges: Rodolfo Aguilar, Fred Fluty and Efrain Lebron 
Referee: Emil Lombardi

(ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT)

•   Josue Vargas 141.4 lbs vs. Willie Shaw 139.8 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•         Joseph Adorno 135.2 lbs vs. Jamaine Ortiz 136.2
(Lightweight  — 8 Rounds)

   •   Orlando Gonzalez 127.6 lbs vs. Juan Antonio Lopez 128.4
 (Featherweight   — 8 Rounds)

•       Xander Zayas 146.4 lbs vs. Demarcus Layton 146.2
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)
•      Jeremy Adorno 122 lbs vs. Ramiro Martinez 122.2
 (Junior Featherweight — 4 Rounds)

•        Jaycob Gomez 129 lbs vs. Mobley Villegas 129.4
 (Junior Lightweight — 4 Rounds)

By Norm Frauenheim-

It’s a powerful introduction. Edgar Berlanga’s intro is memorable because of power for which there’s been no time for a counter.

Hello-goodbye. That’s about how long it has taken in Berlanga’s 16 fights, all of which have ended within the first round.

Berlanga is also generating a predictable buzz, a welcome one in a business drifting toward a carnival featuring You Tube wannabes and aging legends trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of their fading name-recognition.

Jake Paul, Logan Paul, Peter, Paul and Mary. Who cares? Plenty do, it turns out. You-Tuber Jake Paul’s one-round skit in a win over Ben Askren last Saturday reportedly drew a pay-per-view audience estimated between 1.2 and 1.6 million. Canelo Alvarez must be jealous.

Yes, there’s money in virtual power, an irresistible illusion for gamers and an opportunity for anyone seeking a quick buck.

But Berlanga’s power is real, sustainable if he can prove that there’s something more. The task continues this Saturday (ESPN, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT) against Demond Nicholson (23-3-1, 20 KOs) in a super-middleweight fight on a card featured by Emanuel Navarrete’s featherweight title defense against Christopher Diaz in Kissimmee, Fla.

Berlanga-Nicholson is scheduled for eight rounds, not that seven of them – second through the eighth – will matter. Berlanga’s professional apprenticeship suggests they will not. Therein, however, is the dilemma for a 23-year-old Puerto Rican who grew up in Brooklyn.

He goes into the bout with hype surrounding the first-round KO streak. Can he make it 17 straight? But his development hinges on what he can do beyond the first. He’s a fighter hoping for a career that goes the distance. At some point, he’s got to prove that he can with skills not yet seen. Until he does, he remains a prospect.

Berlanga knows what awaits him. He’s heard the questions at the heart of the dilemma.

“Everybody’s always like, ‘Oh, how he’s gonna do when he goes to the second?’ ‘’ he said Tuesday during a zoom session with the media. “At the end of the day, listen man, I’ve been boxing for 16 years.

“You know, I got all the experience in the world. I’ve been all over the world. I’ve sparred and I’ve got the most experience I could as an amateur, and even just sparring and everything, you know. So, for me to go into the second round, I know everybody out there will make it seem bigger than what it is.’’

From this corner, going into the second round would represent a second step in his promising career. A graduation, of sorts. The power is proven. But feared power can be fickle.

To wit: Deontay Wilder. No fighter in today’s generation was more celebrated or feared for his power than Wilder, whose 32 stoppages include 20 in the first round. Wilder grew certain that the power in his right hand would always prevail.

There were doubts, however, skepticism about whether he had a jab, footwork or any of the other skills he’d eventually need. Tyson Fury proved he did not in a seventh-round stoppage of a heavyweight rematch in February 2020.

Wilder went on to blame the loss on armor in a costume he wore into the ring, on a spiked water bottle and who-knows-what-all. What he didn’t blame was the one-dimensional belief in his power.

It proved to be more feint than faith.

A powerful lesson.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (April 22, 2021) — Central Florida will turn into Northern Puerto Rico on Saturday evening when two of the island’s favorite boxers look to make emphatic statements.

In the main event from a sold-out Silver Spurs Arena, two-weight Mexican world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Puerto Rican challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz. The co-feature will see Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 16-0 with 16 first-round knockouts, test himself against veteran contender Demond Nicholson in an eight-round super middleweight tilt.

Navarrete-Diaz and Berlanga-Nicholson will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with undercard action set to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. At the final presser, this is what the fighters had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“I know he has been fighting at 126 and even at 130. I think it will be tough to hurt a fighter that has fought at higher divisions, but I believe I have the punching power to knock him out.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought in front of fans. I miss the vibes of having the fans in the arena. Even though 90 percent of the fans will be cheering for ‘Pitufo,’ I feel like the pressure is going to be on him because he needs to perform for his people, for his fans. I’ve always been a fighter that’s been on the road, fighting away from home. I feel like the pressure is on him.”

“I started training camp in Mexico. Things were not as tough there, and the hard part of training camp I did in Tijuana. I want to thank my co-promoter Zanfer for the help they’ve given me. This camp has been very good, unlike the last camp for {Ruben} Villa, where everything was closed. So it was really tough to train for that fight.”

Christopher Diaz

“I’ve been in the big arenas a lot of times {against} Shakur Stevenson, Masayuki Ito in front of 8,00 people. Sold out against Navarrete. I think I have the experience to become world champion Saturday night.”

“If you’ve seen my last two fights, I’ve been a different fighter. I go to the ring to perform, to show the people I can be a star. Navarrete is a great champion. It’s a pleasure for me to share the ring with him. We’re going to be in the history books as part of Puerto Rico versus Mexico, but again, there are levels to this. Navarrete has been in a lot of title fights, but this is my second one, and I can say my third one because the Shakur Stevenson was that level a fight.”

“{After the Stevenson fight}, when I came home and I saw my babies…I have three daughters and a beautiful wife. As a leader in my house, I have to bring the food to the table, and this is the easiest way. I mean, it’s not easy because you get hit, but at the end of the day, I go back to the gym with that mentality. I work hard.”

“I want to tell Navarrete that I respect him as a person. He’s a humble guy, a family man like myself. It’s tough to become a one-time champion. I had my opportunity already, and I just hope he brings his best so we can give the fans a great fight.”

“We’re fighting a 50-50 fight. I’m happy because he knows I’m the most dangerous fighter he’s fought to this day. I’m just comfortable. I got confidence in myself. My team believes in me. My family believes in me. That means a lot to me because it’s my family. That’s my team. That’s my daughters yelling to me. That’s the most important thing. I don’t think about Navarrete’s fans who are against me because he deserves that, he’s a two-time world champion.”

Edgar Berlanga

“With winning, all of that comes. The fame, the money… when you’re winning, and if you’re doing what I’m doing, all of that is going to come. So I don’t really pay mind to that. It’s cool to have that, to build a brand. You build the brand, you build the image, and that’s how you make more money. But at the end of the day, boxing is my number one priority. And you have to win at the end of the day.”

“He’s the right fight. We’re building something here. It’s brick by brick. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I know he’s a veteran. He has a lot of fights under his belt. He got a lot of experience, and these are the types of fights I need.”

“Like I always say, every fight is for Puerto Rico. It’s an island that hasn’t had a world champion and a superstar in a very long time, so for me, it’s going to be electrifying. I’m ready to tear the roof off. It’s going to be a good night Saturday.”

“We push in training camp to go those rounds in sparring. I make sure I’m ready to go 12 rounds, whether {the fight} is an eight-rounder or 10-rounder. And that’s the mindset you gotta have because there are killers out there. You have to train for that. When you’re on top and a target, everyone wants to take your head off, so you have to be 100 percent prepared. We’re in camp, and I push myself to the limit each and every time.”

Demond Nicholson

“When we got the call, {I thought} that’s not a bad fight. When we first got it, we turned it down. They called us in December or January. We turned it down. They didn’t offer the money that we wanted, and then they called us back and we found a conclusion and the fight is happening.”

On how he’s changed since his 2018 knockout loss to Jesse Hart

“I’m not mentally in the same place I was three years ago, financially and everything. I was facing some hard demons that I’ve pushed away and pushed to the side, overcame, and now it’s time to work. It’s my time to shine.”

“It’s going to be a boxing lesson. That’s all I can tell you.”

SATURDAY, April 24, 2021

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Christopher Diaz, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title

Edgar Berlanga  vs. Demond Nicholson, 8 rounds, super middleweight

ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Josue Vargas vs. Willie Shaw, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Joseph Adorno vs. Jamaine Ortiz, 8 rounds, lightweight

Xander Zayas vs. Demarcus Layton, 6 rounds, welterweight

Jeremy Adorno vs. Ramiro Martinez, 4 rounds, junior featherweight

Jaycob Gomez vs. Mobley Villegas, 4 rounds, junior lightweight

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 15, 2021) — Mexican great Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, boxing’s busiest world champion, is set to kick off his 2021 campaign by reviving a long-standing pugilistic rivalry. Navarrete will make his first defense of the WBO featherweight world title Saturday, April 24 against Puerto Rican contender Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla.

In the co-feature, super middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 16-0, with 16 first-round stoppages, will step up in class against Demond Nicholson in a bout scheduled for eight rounds (or much less).

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Zanfer Promotions, Navarrete-Diaz and Berlanga-Nicholson will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with undercard bouts to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+. Ticket information will be announced shortly.

“The sensational Emanuel Navarrete wanted a formidable opponent for his first featherweight title defense, and Christopher Diaz fits the bill,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We are also thrilled to have Edgar Berlanga back on ESPN, as he is the most devastating young puncher I’ve seen in ages.”

Navarrete (33-1, 28 KOs) burst onto the world scene in December 2018, battering Isaac Dogboe over 12 rounds to win the WBO junior featherweight world title. He is 7-0 since then, including five title defenses, all by stoppage. Navarrete moved up to featherweight and picked up the vacant WBO world title last October with a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Ruben Villa. Diaz (26-2, 16 KOs) is not unbeaten, but he is battle-tested, having challenged Masayuki Ito for the WBO junior lightweight world title in July 2018. He lost to Ito by unanimous decision and has gone 3-1 since moving down to featherweight. Diaz rebounded from a 2019 points loss to Shakur Stevenson, besting former world title challenger Jason Sanchez over 10 rounds last June inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

“I am a fighter who likes to face the best, and my challenge now is to beat the tough ‘Pitufo’ Diaz,” Navarrete said. “I know he is a good fighter, and I am sure we will give a great show to the people of Florida and to those watching us fight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. On April 24, I will show that I am the best featherweight in the world. I will not let him take my championship to Puerto Rico. That belt will stay with me in San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico.” 

Diaz said, “I have once again been given an opportunity to become a world champion, but there is something very different this time around. I will not fail. I will bring that much-needed world title to Puerto Rico. This is my time to become a world champion. God knows how much I have sacrificed and how much I have evolved. I live today to make my family happy, and it is time to change their lives. On April 24, there is no doubt that I will become world champion, and I will see you all on April 25 when I return to my island as world champion.”

Berlanga broke out as boxing’s consensus 2020 Prospect of the Year, impressing fans and media with his string of first-round routs against increasingly difficult opposition. Last July, he knocked out veteran spoiler Eric Moon in 62 seconds, and less than three months later on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, he became the first man to stop 30-fight veteran Lanell Bellows. Berlanga finished his whirlwind 2020 on Dec. 12, stopping the normally durable Ulises Sierra (15-1-2) in 2:40. Nicholson (23-3-1, 20 KOs) has won five consecutive fights since a seventh-round TKO loss to Jesse Hart in April 2018.

“I don’t like to make predictions, but make sure you tune in. I want to show out for the fans in attendance,” Berlanga said. “April 24 is going to be the beginning of a huge 2021 for my team. I take it one fight at a time, and this is just another step toward my goal of becoming a champion.”

Nicholson said, “I have the experience. When I first started, I was knocking everyone out in the first round as well. I have 20 knockouts, and that speaks for itself. If you look at his opponents, I’d knock them all out. Is he ready for the next level? He might be ready, but he won’t be ready for me.”

The undercard, which will be announced in due course, is set to feature a plethora of Puerto Rican fan-favorites: junior welterweight contender Josue Vargas, 18-year-old phenom Xander Zayas, unbeaten featherweight Orlando Gonzalez, undefeated junior lightweight Henry Lebron, big-punching lightweight Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, and junior featherweight prospect Jeremy “Magic Hands” Adorno.

Use the hashtag #NavarreteDiaz to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

WORCESTER, Mass. (January 25, 2021) – Success in amateur boxing doesn’t necessarily insure a great professional career. Some fighters are much more suited to be better pros than amateurs, most often power punchers, but it’s usually clear early on if a fighter is especially skilled or not.

Undefeated lightweight prospect Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (14-0, 8 KOs), fighting out of Worcester, MA, displayed his tremendous gifts in the amateurs against some of today’s most talented, young boxers.

Back in 2012, for example, 14-year-old, 106-pound Ortiz defeated the hottest pro prospect in the world today, 16-0(16 KOs) Edgar Berlanga, of Brooklyn, at the Junior Olympics National Championships held in Lake Placid, New York. Ortiz went on to win 100 of 114 amateur matches, Berlanga finished with a 162-17 amateur record. All 16 of the latter’s pro fights ended in the opening round.

Ortiz never dreamed that Berlanga would become the super middleweight monster that he is today for a good reason. “I didn’t have pros on my mind,” Ortiz remembered. “My goal was to win an Olympic gold medal. I didn’t see him at the U.S. Olympic Trials, but I did at a few national tournaments.”

Another Brooklyn-born fighter, unified world lightweight champion Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs), the 2020 Fighter of the Year, handed Ortiz a 3-0 loss on points at the 2015 National Golden Gloves Championship.

“If I had my coach in the corner – Rocky Gonzalez had to leave because of a pro commitment – I think I would have been able to beat him. He’s a power puncher now, but not when I fought him. I hope to fight him sometime because he holds the belts. I want to fight the top dogs.”

In Ortiz’ final amateur fight, he won a 2-1 decision against Abraham “El Super” Nova (19-0, 14 KOs), the former NABF super featherweight champion in the pro ranks, to be crowned New England Golden Gloves champion

“We’ve sparred after that,” Ortiz noted. “We go to his trainer’s (Hector Bermudez) gym in Boston a lot to get good work.”

Two other undefeated contemporary pros who were also standout pro prospects that Ortiz defeated in the amateurs are former NABF super lightweight Luis Feliciano (14-0, 8 KOs) and yet another Brooklyn native, super lightweight Richardson Hitchins (12-0, 5 KOs). Against Feliciano, Ortiz won 3-0 at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, and he edged Hitchins, 2-1, at the Olympic Qualifier.

“The Feliciano fight was fairly easy for me,” Ortiz noted. “I’m not surprised by his success as a pro because he was a recognized amateur on Team USA. The Hitchins fight was competitive and he probably thought he won.”

Two losses in the amateurs against undefeated rising pro stars, welterweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) and bantamweight Gary Antuanne Russell (18-0, 12 KOs), only enhanced Ortiz’ potential as a prizefighter. Both fights were scored 3-0 for Ennis in the Olympic Qualifier and Russell in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials.

“I fought Ennis in his hometown, Philadelphia, and he beat me,” Ortiz commented. “He turned pro and started knocking out everybody. He didn’t stop me, though. I haven’t seen Russell fight in the pros.”

Ortiz is promoted by Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES). “I’ve been in this business a long time and affiliated with thousands of athletes,” CES founder/CEO Jimmy Burchfield, Sr. commented. “Jamaine has it all! He’s a perfect gentleman who has all types of experience against practically every type of boxer. Anybody who truly understands boxing can tell the difference about the special ones. He reminds me a little of Sugar Ray Leonard and looks like Oscar de la Hoya. He is the whole package with everything needed to be world champion.

“I love working with his team, Rocky Gonzalez and Carlos Garcia. They’ve all bonded. Team Ortiz is great to work with and I believe Jamaine has an unbelievable career ahead of him. Athletes of the 21st Century need more than in the past like a strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist. We have that for Jermaine.

Ortiz understands that there’s a world of difference between the amateurs and pros. “Styles make fights and pro versus amateur boxing is different,” he remarked. “We didn’t wear headgear in the Olympic Trials, but nobody stopped me. It seems like a lot of those guys I fought in the amateurs gained power in the pros and aren’t fighting as lightweights anymore (other than Lopez).”

The 24-year-old Ortiz is the reigning World Boxing Council World Youth and USNBC (U.S.) Silver lightweight champion. His stocked has skyrocketed since his spectacular performance this past November on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones, Jr. PPV, in which Ortiz stopped Sulaiman Segawa (13-2-1, 4 KOs) in the seventh round of their high-profile fight.
“I’m back in the gym staying sharp and in shape,” Ortiz concluded, “working hard for whatever comes.”

Burchfield added, “Since his great performance on the Tyson-Jones PPV, we have been receiving all kinds of good offers for him. Jamaine Ortiz is a future boxing star.”

Ortiz’ special gifts were developed in the amateurs fighting opponents such as Lopez, Berlanga, Ennis and Co. Now, he’s making waves in the pro ranks, ranked No. 5 by the North American Boxing Federation (NABF), and cracking the WBC world lightweight ratings at No. 28.

Former featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson won an easy 10-round unanimous decision over Toka Kahn Clary in a junior lightweight bout at the MGM Grand Conference center in las Vegas.

Stevenson dominated the bout with Kahn Clary showing next-to-nothing in return.

Stevenson landed 151 of 514 punches; Kahn Clary landed 48 of 529.

Stevenson, 130 lbs of Newark, NJ won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 15-0. Kahn Clary, 129 lbs of Providence, RI is 28-3-1.

“He knew how to survive. He came in there to survive, and that’s what he did,” Stevenson said. “I want the WBO belt first. The winner of {Carl} Frampton and {Jamel} Herring have to come see me. After that, we want {WBC world champion Miguel} Berchelt.”

Nakatani stops Verdejo in 9

Masayoushi Nakatani shook off two early knockdowns and then stopped Felix Verdejo in round nine of their scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Verdejo scored a knockdown with a hard right hand. It was another right hand in round four that sent Nakatani down for a 2nd time

In round nine Nakatani landed a hard right that sent Verdejo down with a j on the chin. Then it was a right to the top of the head that sent Verdejo down face-first and the fight was stopped at 1:45.

Nakatani, 135 lbs of Osaka, JAP is 19-1 with 13 knockdowns. Verdejo, 135 lbs of San Juan, PR is 27-2.

After the bout, a jubilant Nakatani set his sights on a rematch with Lopez, now the undisputed lightweight world champion.

“I fought Lopez, and I wanted to fight him again, and that’s why I kept going,” Nakatani said. “I want to go for the knockout like I did today, and that’s going to be my style.”

Berlanga Keeps 1st round KO Streak intact; Stops Sierra

Edgar Berlanga kept his perfect 1st round knockout streak alive as he stopped Ulises Sierra in their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

He dropped Sierra with a hard right around the gloves. He sent Sierra down for a 2nd time with a vicious seven punch combination. Berlanga ended things with a vicious flurry that was punctuated by a hard right and the fight was stopped at 2:40.

Berlanga, 169 lbs of Brooklyn NY is 16-0 with 16 opening round knockouts. Sierra, 167 1/2 lbs of San Diego is 15-2-2.

Berlanga said, “{I want} rounds. The better competition, the better opposition we fight, I believe we’re going to get those rounds in. We ended 2020 with a bang. 2021 is a big year for us, and I’m looking forward to it.

“Tito Trinidad was my idol. He still is. Just being with him opened up my eyes as to what boxing is about, the dedication, the focus, leaving the streets and the bad people alone.”

Quincy LaVallais won a eight-round unanimous decision over feel-good Clay Collard in a middleweight bout.

LaVallais, !59 lbs of Kenner, LA won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 twice and is now 10-0-1. Collard, 159 lbs of Burley, ID is 9-3-3.

Jesse Rodriguez stopped Saul Juarez in round two of a scheduled eight-round flyweight bout.

In round two, Rodriguez dropped Juarez with a crushing left uppercut for the count of 10 at 2:05

Rodriguez, 110.5 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 13-0 with nine knockouts. Juarez, 110 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 25-14-2.

Former Olympic Gold Medal winner Robeisy Ramirez stopped Brandon Valdes in round six of a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

In round six, Valdes was deducted a point for a low blow. Later in the round, Ramirez landed a heavyweight combination on the ropes, and referee Russell Mora stopped the fight at 2:49.

Ramirez, 126 lbs of Cuba is 6-1 with four knockouts. Valdes, 127 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 13-2.

Haven Bardy Jr. made it two in a row with stoppage at the end of round two of a scheduled four-round featherweight bout over Michael Land.

Brady, 127 lbs of Albany. GA is 2-0 with both wins coming via stoopage. Land, 126 lbs of Cedar Hill, TX is 1-2.

Kasir Goldston stopped Llewelyn McClamy in a scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

In round two, Goldston dropped McClamy with a straight left hand. Goldston finished the bout just a few seconds later when he dropped McClammy again with a left and the fight was stopped at 1:35.

Goldston, 142 lbs of Albany, NU is 2-0 with one knockout. McClamy. 142.5 lbs of Pittsburgh, PA is 2-1.

Some of boxing’s future stars take center stage to close out the year in an action-packed Top Rank on ESPN tripleheader this Saturday, December 12 live from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Shakur Stevenson, the undefeated former featherweight world champion and one of the top under 25 boxers in the world, returns to the ring to face Toka Kahn Clary in the 10-round junior lightweight main event.  Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with undercard action on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The Stevenson-Clary main event card airs on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET. 

The co-main will feature a lightweight clash between Felix Verdejo and Masayoshi Nakatani, and in a special feature that will open the linear coverage, 23-year-old super middleweight Edgar Berlanga will chase his 16^th consecutive first-round knockout in an eight-round showdown against Ulises Sierra.   

Calling the action for ESPN from site will be Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), former #1 pound-for-pound two-division world titleholder and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward (analyst), and former two-division world titleholder Tim Bradley (analyst). The on-location desk team will feature analysis from Bernardo Osuna and Mark Kriegel. 

Fight week coverage includes:

• SportsCenter segments: segments for ESPN’s flagship news and information program from Las Vegas
• Stevenson vs. Clary Final Press Conference (Thur., at 3:00 p.m. ET, live on the ESPN App, ESPN’s YouTube and ESPN Twitter)
• Stevenson vs. Clary Official Weigh-In: (Fri at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2): Joe Tessitore, Andre Ward, Tim Bradley, Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna reporting live from site
• Max on Boxing Weigh in Special (Fri, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2): ESPN’s boxing series hosted by Max Kellerman airing live following the weigh-in, which will include 1-1 interviews with Stevenson and Berlanga. 

ESPN.com

• Real or not: Shakur Stevenson will face Miguel Berchelt for the WBC junior lightweight title in his next fight
• Ringside seat (Friday)  

Social:@ESPNRingside Twitter, Facebook and Instagram 

Schedule of Live Stevenson vs. Clary Content on ESPN Platforms (All Times ET)

LAS VEGAS (November 25, 2020) — Super middleweight wrecking ball Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga has been “The Perfect One” thus far, knocking out all 15 of his professional opponents in the first round.
 
Berlanga puts perfection on the line Saturday, Dec. 12, when he fights Ulises Sierra in an eight-round showdown from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Berlanga-Sierra will open the ESPN-televised tripleheader (10 p.m. ET) that includes the 10-round junior lightweight main event featuring Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn Clary and a 10-round lightweight co-feature between Felix Verdejo and Masayoshi Nakatani.
 
“Edgar Berlanga has a unique blend of power and charisma, and I believe he is the next Puerto Rican superstar,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Ulises Sierra is the toughest test of Edgar’s career. Who knows if that will make a difference? We’ve tried to get the kid some rounds before, but once Edgar hurts his opponents, it’s game over.”
 
Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs) has fought twice in 2020, spending a grand total of 2:21 inside the ring. He knocked out Lanell Bellows in 1:19 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, the first time Bellows had been knocked out in 30 professional bouts. Sierra (15-1-2, 9 KOs), from San Diego, entered 2020 on an eight-bout winning streak, which included a nationally televised 28-second knockout over Jose Hernandez. In January, he dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to top prospect Vladimir Shishkin.

Philadephia, PA (November 19, 2020)–Following the cancellation of his bout against undefeated Khainell Wheeler that was scheduled for this Saturday, super middleweight Genc Pllana is available and ready to fight anybody, and is targeting undefeated knockout artist Edgar Berlanga.

Pllana (8-2-1, 4 KOs) would like to be Berlanga’s dance partner for a perspective bout on December 12th, and the Hagerstown, Maryland native feels that Berlanga’s perfect 1st round knockout streak is more a product of a (lack) of strength in schedule then anything else.

“He is 15-0 with 15 knockouts in the the 1st round., He should have no issue fighting me. Especially if he is the monster that they say he is, He has not defeated anyone in the top-100, Where I have already defeated two fighters that were top-50, and I have only had 11 bouts. So fighting me would me the perfect fight for him.”

Pllana is referring wins over Kevin Newman and a disputed draw with undefeated Kalvin Henderson. Pllana has never been stopped in his 11 bouts feels that he would be able to not only take Berlanga rounds, but be in position to win the fight.

Pllana’s promoter Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions agrees with his 26 year-old fighter.

“Genc has proven that he will face anyone at anytime, and when I gave him the news that Saturday’s fight was off, he told me to pursue a fight with Berlanga. That shows that he is one of those fighters that is willing to take major opportunities.”

Super middleweight contender Vaughn “The Animal” Alexander is looking to get back into contention for big fights and he’s willing to fight a man they are calling a monster, hard-punching first-round knockout specialist Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, to do it.

“Why wouldn’t I want to fight Edgar Berlanga?” said a confident Alexander (15-4, 9 KOs). “He’s calls himself a monster. I want to find out. No hate at all; he’s doing what he’s supposed to do with the people they are putting him in with, but I think I will beat him.”

Saint Louis native Alexander, older brother of former two-weight world champion Devon Alexander, says he sees things in the 23-year-old Brooklynite Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs) that will not only allow him to snap the young slugger’s 15-fight first-round KO streak, but will also carry him to victory.

“I will beat him. He’s knocking all these guys out that just stand there and offer no resistance. I will do the things that benefit me, not him; I will stand when I want to. And his power means nothing to me. I have a hell of a chin. I’ve even fought light heavyweights and still held my own.”

“I think Edgar is a promising prospect, but let’s see what happens when someone gets out of the first round,” said Michael Cameron, Alexander’s manager. “Vaughn will take him deep into the fight. Nobody knocks Vaughn out. Let’s see what happens when a real fighter like Vaughn is still there late in a fight.”

Cameron says he’s reaching out to Berlanga’s people to try and make the fight happen, hoping they decide to try and give their fighter a challenge, rather than looking to continue the KO streak.

“He’d be a good win for me,” continued Alexander. “With the wave he has going right now, it’ll put me back where I need to be to further my career. I’m not hating on him. Berlanga is a good up-and-coming prospect who is knocking everybody out because he’s a very good fighter. I’m just a real fighter in the same weight class and I feel I will beat him.”