The main talking point of the press conference for Saturday’s bout between Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz came when Berlanga and promoter Oscar De La Hoya exchanged words.
At one point, Berlanga pulled out a sports bag and started firing women’s underwear and garments in De La Hoya’s direction.
They had talked about coming to blows, but they didn’t get beyond a verbal slinging match across the stage from one another, with Berlanga calling De La Hoya a “stripper” in reference to the pictures of De La Hoya in women’s clothes from years ago. De La Hoya, meanwhile, taunted Berlanga for not having won a world title in his career.
That was the major flashpoint, though Shakur Stevenson – ahead of his WBC lightweight title defense against William Zepeda – also exchanged words with De La Hoya while Zepeda tried to get his lines translated.
It was somewhat chaotic.
On DAZN, Chris Mannix called the press conference “cringy and manufactured.”
“I don’t think it helped sell one ticket,” he said. “I don’t think it helped sell one pay-per-view.”
When Berlanga did get to addressing Sheeraz, he said they were rightly top of the bill.
“New York City’s my city. I was born and raised here, I’m a star here, so it’s only right,” he said.
“I’m gonna touch his jaw. He’s a fucking giraffe.”
Berlanga then played the Jurassic Park theme tune through his phone, next to his speaker, and Berlanga’s manager Keith Connolly “guaranteed” his man would win by knockout.
Sheeraz was all business.
“He knows what’s coming,” said the Englishman. “At the end of the day, I’ve put in my work. “We’re going to knock this sausage out.”
Sheeraz is promoted by Hall of Famer Frank Warren, who backed his man to win.
“It’s a tough fight, it’s a tough fight for both of them. Their styles will blend,” said Warren.
Stevenson said he was happy to finally be getting it on with Zepeda.
“I’ve been calling this dude out for three years,” said the Newark technician. “They had the opportunity to fight me before but they turned it down. Come Saturday night, I’m coming to beat his ass. He’s gonna be come, be tough, be strong; I’m coming to whip his ass. I stand by that. I’m fucking him up… These guys act like he’s a big monster. If he’s that skilled, I wanna see him on Saturday… He’s gonna bring out the best in me.”
Stevenson has said in the build-up he wanted more time for his hands to heal after the February Josh Padley fight, and so Oscar asked if his hands would be okay.
“He [Zepeda] will find out Saturday,” said Stevenson.
Through a translator, Zepeda said: “On Saturday, Mexico’s going to celebrate a new champion. Shakur’s going to bring his style that’s very elusive and we have a fight plan that allows me to neutralize that and we think it’s going to be a great fight.”
De La Hoya contended that his fighter should have been in the main event, rather than Berlanga-Sheeraz.
“Zepeda is a machine; he’s wanted this fight for quite a while. I really feel that everything happens for a reason… Look, it’s not gonna be an easy fight and it will probably be a candidate for Fighter of the Year.”
De La Hoya also compared Stevenson-Zepeda to Floyd Mayweather-Jose Luis Castillo, with Zepeda in the Castillo mold. Castillo lost a controversial decision in the first fight with Mayweather, and lost a narrow decision in a return.
On paper, one of the most attractive matches going into the week was the light heavyweight bout between the exciting duo of David Morrell and Imam Khataev.
There was no mention of the story that has had the boxing world talking this week, and the fighters kept it on message.
“I think he’s a good fighter,” said the Cuban. “I’m ready 100 per cent for this fight. Saturday night’s my night. You’re gonna get a chance to see the best version of me.”
Russian Khataev replied: “I’m ready. I’ve had a good training camp in Canada and I’m here and I’m ready. I respect him as an opponent.”
Luis DeCubas Snr, on the dais representing Morrell and PBC, thanked Turki Alalshikh and Al Haymon, and said: “It’s nice to see the best fight the best for boxing to be great again. David Morrell wasn’t looking for an easy opponent, he’s ready to go with anybody.”
With No. 1 contender Dalton Smith looking on in the audience, undefeated WBC junior welterweight champion Alberto Puello and his challenger Subriel Matias kept things respectful.
“I’m in the best condition I’ve been in in my career and it’s great to have an opponent of the caliber of Subriel Matias,” said Puello.
“I understand that I am the challenger,” replied Matias. “But we will see what happens on Saturday. Once he feels the pressure, we will see how he will be able to take that on his chin.”
Ring ambassador Reito Tsutsumi, ready for his second fight, meets Michael Ruiz on the card. He made his debut in Times Square in May and said: “This fight is going to be better than the last fight. This will be my second fight and I’m still trying to show my style in the pros.”
