Eudy Bernardo Angles For Verdejo NYC Clash In June

By Jake Donovan

Felix Verdejo still has one unbeaten boxer to get past this weekend, but another is already pleading his case to face the rising lightweight contender for his next Big Apple adventure.

Fellow undefeated lightweight Eudy Bernardo (21-0, 15KOs) has taken note of the current schedule in place for Verdejo. A win over Brazil’s William Silva this weekend at Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York City – which will air live on HBO - is due to lead to an April homecoming in San Juan, Puerto Rico followed by a return to MSG in June, on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade.

Bernardo – born and raised in Dominican Republic – is prepared to offer his services for the latter, believing the swelling fan bases from both regions will make for a festive atmosphere.

Of course, there’s also the part where he views the massive upside that would come with a win over a fighter like Verdejo; and at the very least, the exposure that comes with such a fight.

“Fighting Felix Verdejo in New York City would be awesome,” Bernardo told BoxingScene.com of his desire to land such an assignment. “He is touted as the best and with respect I say let the ring be the judge! My time is now!"

Bernardo has done his best to plead his case with the hand he’s been dealt, but a career largely spent off-TV thus far has kept his status as a work in progress. The majority of his bouts having taken place in the Dominican Republic, Bernardo fought stateside for just the second time with a 2nd round knockout of Ben Odamatty on February 6 in Detroit.

Event handlers and participants from the aforementioned “Detroit Brawl” card joined the cause against the Flint Water Crisis, donating 300 cases of bottled water to the local community. The boxers on the show fought the good fight in and out of the ring, a humbling experience for Bernardo in his first ring appearance of 2016.

Doing his part once the bell sounded, the 29-year old lightweight hopes to keep the line moving in what his team envisions as a breakout campaign over the course of the calendar year.

“Eudy can really fight,” insists Dmitriy Salita, Bernardo’s promoter, himself a former super lightweight contender. “He is a big, strong and in great condition. He looked very sharp on the Detroit Brawl show on February 6th.

“The plan is to keep him busy and put him in position for big fights. From what I see he has all the tools to be a real threat in the division. He trains very hard and just wants to fight the best fighters in the division; you can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox