This weekend, knockout specialist Edgar Berlanga aims to return to knockout ways against ex-GGG foe Steve Rolls.
The super-middleweight sensation, nicknamed “The Chosen One,” holds an impressive 18-0 with 16 K.O.s.
What makes that C.V. more impressive is that Berlanga knocked all his first 16 opponents out in the first round.
Now, he makes his main event debut Saturday evening in a ten-rounder versus long-time contender Rolls (21-1, 12 K.O.s).
Berlanga hopes to get back to his punishing best after going the distance in his last two bouts and getting dropped for the first time.
“I’m feeling amazing. Thanks to Top Rank and ESPN for finally making it happen here back home. It’s a blessing, man. I am looking forward to Saturday.,” said Berlanga.
ADVERSITY
“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 10th, but I got dropped in the ninth. So, for me, I feel I needed that for my career. I needed that adversity.”
“Every fighter goes through that in their career, especially being this young. I knew I would come out of that adversity because I had torn my biceps in the third round and fought seven rounds like that.
“Many 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, moved to Las Vegas, and now we’re ready for Saturday.”
Asked for a prediction on the fight, Berlanga responded: “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.”
The televised tripleheader kicks off at 10 p.m. E.T. on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+). Undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (7:15 p.m. E.T.) and includes the return of Brooklyn-born Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (2-0, 1 K.O.), Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 K.O.s), and rising junior lightweight Henry Lebron (14-0, 9 K.O.s).
