Edgar Berlanga is Eager to Put on a Show Against Steve Rolls
Super middleweight stand-out Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga returns to the squared circle on March 19 at the Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden. The Brooklyn born, New York native of Puerto Rican descent will defend his NABO championship against Canada’s Steve Rolls, a well-seasoned veteran of the sport who’ll deliver Berlanga his most challenging bout to date. Alongside Berlanga, middleweight prospect Xander Zayas will be fighting on the card, as well as the U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis.
The Big Apple event will be promoted by Top Rank, led by their chairman and world-renowned boxing promoter Bob Arum. Whilst questioned on the upcoming event, he said:
“Edgar, Xander, and Keyshawn are future pound-for-pound superstars, and it will be a memorable evening in front of a sold-out New York City crowd.
“All three are in there with the toughest fights of their respective careers, but I expect them to pass with flying colors.”
Bob Arum – Top Rank Chairman
With so much attention on Brooklyn’s fan favorite, the best New York sports betting apps to choose will compete to provide bettors with the best available boxing odds on Berlanga. As online sports wagering receives an upsurge in users due to the market’s recent legalization, a record number of boxing wagers are expected at the New York events of 2022.
Edgar Berlanga (18-0-0, 16 KOs)
Berlanga burst onto the professional boxing scene with an impressive sixteen consecutive first-round knockouts. His journey to becoming a pro was heavily assisted by an equally remarkable amateur career that saw him boast a record of 162-17.
The 24-year-old began boxing at the tender age of 7. He enjoyed a prosperous youth claiming silver medals in the U.S. Junior National Championship and a gold medal at the U.S. Youth National Championships.
Following the 16 back-to-back round one knockouts he delivered following his professional debut, he
went the distance on two occasions in 2021. After knocking him down five times and defeating Demond Nicholson, he had the honor of fighting on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III fight card in October. He notably fought through a torn bicep to a unanimous decision victory, but he did suffer the first knockdown of his career.
After suffering the scare, Berlanga out-landed his opponent Marcelo Coceres two to one within the first three rounds. Coceres showed grit and fought his way back into the fight behind a set of damaging right hooks. Gasps could be heard when Berlanga looked in trouble, but the experience gained from being under fire is invaluable to his career.
Coceres was fortunate to finish the last round after scoring the knockdown as his corner frantically attempted to repair a visually damaged left eye. Berlanga will undoubtedly take the lessons learnt into his next fight, and perhaps the knockout record can resume.
“I’m so excited to fight in my first main event in my hometown. It’s a dream come true for a fighter
representing New York City and Puerto Rico. I can’t wait to show the world what I’m truly about.“We are going to blow the roof off the Hulu Theater, so grab your tickets early and get your popcorn ready for this performance.”
Edgar Berlanga – Super Middleweight Contender
Steve Rolls (21-1-0, 12 KOs)
37-year-old Steve Rolls is an eleven-year veteran of the sport. Previously undefeated at middleweight, Rolls’ first loss arrived when he moved up a weight class.
The most memorable fight of Rolls’ career was in 2019 when he contested Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin at Madison Square Garden, a venue he’ll be familiar with when facing Berlanga next month. His bout versus GGG wasn’t a complete mismatch as Rolls found moments of success within the first two rounds. However, he was subsequently stopped inside of four rounds.
Since then, Rolls returned to winning ways and is riding a two-fight win streak. During his most recent contest, he knocked out Christopher Brooker in his home country of Canada.
“I’m happy to be back headlining at Madison Square Garden. Training camp has been going well, and I feel powerful with nothing but a war on my mind.
“Berlanga has power, but I’ll be ready for whatever he brings. I’m looking forward to March 19. I’ll see you then.”
Steve Rolls – Super Middleweight Contender
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