Edgar Berlanga: record, next fight and profile →
If red-hot super middleweight up-and-comer Edgar Berlanga wins his fight on Saturday -- he’s the heavy favorite -- and comes away with no injuries, former two-time world title challenger Jesse Hart could be his next opponent on June 12, according to Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
Edgar Berlanga obviously realizes his first-round knockout streak will come to an end, probably sooner than later. While appreciative of the attention he has received for knocking out each of his 16 professional opponents in the opening round, the 23-year-old Berlanga looks forward to showing the different dimensions of his game once an opponent goes some rounds with him. If that finally happens Saturday night, Brooklyn’s Berlanga will be completely prepared to display what he can do against Demond Nicholson in a super middleweight match scheduled for eight rounds.
After winning his first 16 bouts by knockout in the first round, Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga understands that finally - he might get the chance to show off his boxing arsenal when he meets the Demond Nicholson on April 24 in the city of Kissimmee, Florida.
Edgar Berlanga isn’t sure if Demond Nicholson will finally become the opponent to take him into the second round of a professional fight. The Brooklyn-based knockout artist still considers Nicholson an incremental step up in competition from Ulises Sierra. Berlanga, who has begun his career with 16 straight first-round knockouts, became the first opponent to stop Sierra inside the distance when the super middleweight prospect defeated him by first-round technical knockout December 12 in Las Vegas.
Edgar Berlanga still awaits the opportunity to headline a boxing event of his own, though his star power is already on the rise. The April 24 ESPN-televised show featuring the unbeaten super middleweight will play to a sold-out crowd at Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park (OHP) in Kissimmee, Florida. The last of the first-run tickets were sold on Wednesday, more than three weeks ahead of fight night and with fewer than 80 available at the start of the week.
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.
Emanuel Navarrete will begin his second title reign in hostile territory. The two-division and reigning WBO featherweight titlist will hit the road for his first defense, as he faces Puerto Rico’s Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Diaz. Their bout will take place April 24 on an ESPN platform live from Kissimmee, Florida. The venue is still being finalized although all indications point to it taking place at Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park, multiple sources have informed BoxingScene.com.
Hard-hitting New York native Pablo Valdez returns to action on February 20 on the One For All Promotions card at the Caribe Royal Resort, Orlando, Florida. Valdez is currently 4-0 with all 4 coming via way of knockout, and is guided by Gary Stark Sr and Andre Rozier. Despite spending close to ten years away from the ring, Valdez has utilized his time effectively and looks to pick up where he left off as the world phases out of the pandemic.
Edgar Berlanga remains in search of a quality opponent for his first fight of 2021. It just so happens that fellow unbeaten prospect Tyler Howard knows a guy interested in the assignment. It can be argued that Berlanga (16-0, 16KOs) is ahead of the rest of the pack, if not only from a notoriety standpoint. The Brooklyn-bred Boricua was named 2020 Prospect of the Year by many outlets—including BoxingScene.com—and is aiming to land super middleweight contenders in the ring in the year ahead.
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.