Edgar Berlanga Declares He’s A Main Event Fighter And Wants To Be Paid Like One
One fighter that has been getting plenty of attention in 2020 has been rising super middleweight prospect Edgar Berlanga (16-0, 16 KO). The 23-year-old from Brooklyn is building quite the reputation as a fighter to watch and one of the more exciting young prospects in the sport.
The reason for him quickly becoming a favorite among fight fans and those on boxing social is punching power. Undefeated, with all of his knockouts coming in the first round, Berlanga is on the upward tick. His promoters, Top Rank have amped it up on the promotional side and ESPN has aired his last three fights. But despite his obvious punching power, the destructive way he finishes off his opponents, and his widening fanbase, is success starting to get to him?
Whether it’s boxing or in any sport, with youth comes a bit of arrogance and an elevated sense of self. And that sense of hubris seems to be slowly creeping into Berlanga. On December 16, he took to social media to express his “value” to both Top Rank and ESPN. In his view, he is no longer a co-feature. Berlanga now feels he is the main event fighter and deserves to be treated like one.
GETTING THE BIG HEAD?
Say what now? While his popularity is growing and his potential is obvious, he still has a lot to prove. Berlanga claims he drew 2.2 million viewers for his last fight, a first-round KO over Ulises Sierra (15-2-2, 9 KOs) on December 12. And if he is correct about that, those numbers are surely impressive.
But let us be clear: ratings be damned, this is still a prospect we are talking about. Berlanga has not gone past one round in any of his fights and has not fought anyone of any note. It is safe to ask, what has he done to now call out his promoters and make such demands?
What we may have here is someone exhibiting hubris in excess. Having confidence and self-belief is more than appropriate for any athlete. But this is boxing. Having delusions of grandeur is a dangerous thing. A misguided sense of self will lead to your comeuppance and getting exposed, usually in a ruthless manner.
Bottom line is, Berlanga has not done nearly enough to make these kinds of claims. You have to make big moves and big accomplishments to earn the big bucks. It would be wise for those in his inner circle to sit him down, have a serious talk about first putting the work in and out of the ring, and teaching him some humility. If they don’t, the kid is in store for a rude awakening.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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