If there is an aspect of boxing that attracts fans of colors, shapes, sizes and backgrounds, it is the knockout. From Sugar Ray Robinson to Deontay Wilder, boxers with knockout power have captured the imaginations of fans far and wide for decades. Within the last two years, a new boxer has been added to the long list of fighters who have captured broad fanbases with their knockout power. His name is Edgar Berlanga.
Coming out of New York, Edgar Berlanga turned pro in 2016 and reeled off 16 straight first-round knockouts. Unfortunately, his knockout streak came to an end in April after he went the distance with Demond Nicholson. While he didn’t win by knockout, Berlanga knocked Nicholson down four times and earned a unanimous decision victory. Most importantly, he was able to experience what it was like to fight a full professional fight.
“That’s the night his pro career started because everyone is not going to fall in the first round,” former super middleweight and light heavyweight champion Andre Ward said during Saturday’s Wilder-Fury III broadcast.
Seven months after going the distance with Nicholson, Berlanga re-entered the ring to challenge Marcel Esteban Coerces. With 30 professional victories and championship experience, Coerces presented the toughest test for Berlanga. With that said, the New York native was able to handle himself. Using his jab and throwing power punches to the body, Berlanga controlled the fight early on, but things started to shift in the fourth round.
Coerces began to take more chances during the fourth round against the heavy puncher. Fortunately, he found success. During the middle rounds, Coerces cut Berlanga and hurt him multiple times in the fifth round. By the start of the seventh round, Coerces had landed 40 power punches, more than any other of his opponents.
In rounds seven and eight, Berlanga was able to get back in control of the fight. In fact, he nearly closed his opponent’s eye. Then, things took a wild turn. Berlanga was seemingly going toe to toe with Coerces in the ninth round when he walked right into a punch that sent him to the canvas for the first time in his career. Fortunately, the young phenom got back up and finished the fight strong.
In the end, Berlanga earned a 96-93 unanimous decision against the former title challenger.
Edgar Berlanga touched the canvas for the first time in his career ?
He then went on to control the tenth and final round.
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