By Vince Dwriter: Super middleweight contender Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga made his professional boxing debut in April 2016 when he knocked out opponent Jorge Pedroza in the first round.
From 2016 to 2020, Berlanga would make brief in-ring cameo appearances as he eliminated his next fifteen opponents in which none of them made it out of the first round.
With a resume that included 16 fights and 16 first-round knockouts, Berlanga was a rising prospect, and due to his ability to pull off the quick KO, his fan base grew instantly. Puerto Rican fans, die-hard fans of the sport of boxing, casual fans, and celebrities who enjoy the sweet science all gravitated toward boxing’s new knockout machine.
Berlanga’s KO streak brought a refreshing kind of energy, excitement and anticipation to the sport of boxing. During the course of the streak, fans simultaneously watched the action in the ring and the clock as they cheered on Berlanga to keep the streak alive.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and in April 2021 Berlanga’s opponent, Demond Nicholson, was able to survive the first round and go all the way. Nicholson started a trend as Berlanga’s next three opponents were able to go all 10 rounds against the Monster of Puerto Rico. In June 2022, at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Edgar Berlanga was ready to start a new knockout streak, but instead of starting a new streak, he created an incredibly embarrassing professional moment.
In the seventh round of the fight, Berlanga attempted to bite his opponent Alexis Angulo in the neck and shoulder area. Berlanga was able to earn a unanimous decision victory and, during the post-fight interview, he admitted to trying to bite his opponent. “I was throwing elbows. I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him,” Berlanga said. His interview turned into a confession when the New York State Athletic Commission issued a six-month suspension and a $10,000 fine.
With his suspension coming to an end, Edgar Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs), is ready to get back in the ring and pick up where he left off. Outside of the bite incident, Berlanga was making progress as a boxer, being able to maintain an undefeated record and earning a spot in the super middleweight rankings. While conducting an interview with Fighthype, the 25-year-old revealed that he wants to get back in the ring in January and that his team has a particular opponent in mind.
“I just want to make the best fights happen. Right now, I’m in a position where I’m ranked No. 10 in the world at 168, and right now, I have the opportunity to fight whoever I want. I feel like my name is big enough to call whoever I want, and we can make the fight happen. We have a guy named John Ryder; We have him on the radar right now for my next fight, so we’re trying to push that.”
John Ryder (31-5, 17 KOs) is a former WBA Interim Super Middleweight Champion. He won the vacant interim title in May 2019 when he defeated Bilal Akkawy via third-round TKO. Six months later, Ryder fought Callum Smith for the WBA and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles. Ryder put up a valiant effort, but unfortunately for Ryder, he lost the championship fight via unanimous decision.
Edgar Berlanga and his team see John Ryder as a quality opponent and hope a deal can be struck. If Berlanga is successful against Ryder, a matchup between him and rising Mexican star Jaime Munguia (40-0, 32 KOs) could be a potential showdown for the latter part of 2023.
