Via Sean Jones: Super-middleweight rival Edgar Berlanga and Top Rank have parted ways after the two failed to reach an agreement.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger is covering the 25-year-old Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) who is currently a free agent. The big question is who will sign Berlanga next? Will it be one of the following promoters: Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, PBC or Queensbury?
Who does Berlanga contract with, they will need to continue to develop him because he was in no way ready to face A-grade opposition. For all his game flaws, Berlanga must be viewed as a ‘project’ that may take years of development before he succeeds.
It’s not every day that you see undefeated, high-ranked boxers like #4 IBF, #4 WBA & #4 WBO Munguia don’t stick with one of the powerful advertising agencies like Top Rank, but according to one In a way, that’s not surprising.
Berlanga looks average in his last four games since Top Rated stopped matching him to ham & eggs in 2021, and he hasn’t shown the kind of progress that would suggest that if they throw him in one of the level contenders elite at rank 168 then he will have any chance of winning.
Berlanga started his career with sixteen consecutive kills in the first round, but his opponent was the kind of fodder that anyone with the slightest bit of talent would beat in a round. When the Top Rated raised Berlanga a little above the pulsating guys, he looked horrible, life and death to them.
Even more disturbing was the way Berlanga struggled in his final game against Roamer Alexis Angulo last June and appeared intent on biting him.
That fight showed that New York native Berlanga was light years away from being able to stand up to super-middleweight upperclassmen like David Benavidez, Caleb Plant, Canelo Alvarez and David Morrell.
With Top Rank’s big pockets, they could easily replace Berlanga with more capable prospects who have the potential to become world champions.
“I want to thank Top Rank, Bob Arum, and ESPN over the past few years,” Berlanga said. “I’m excited for the future and will be waiting for my manager [Keith Connolly] Let me know what the next move is.”
– Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 18, 2023
“I’ve sold out the theater at The Garden. I’ve made it my goal to sell out all the big rooms at MSG and throw the biggest Garden party that Puerto Rican fans have ever seen. I can’t wait to see the future. “
– Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 18, 2023
Berlanga’s opponents since Top Rated stopped matching him to mediocre opponents:
- The Wanderer Alexis Angulo
- Steve Rolls
- Marcelo Esteban Coceres
- Nicholson Devil
Berlanga was taken down by Coceres, and was in trouble for the second half of their fight in 2021. He was lucky that Coceres didn’t have any power as he was going to finish him off.
If Berlanga ends up with Matchroom promoter, Eddie Hearn, it will be interesting to see how he goes up against him. Berlanga will likely fall if Hearn lets him fight the likes of Craig Richards, Joshua Buatsi & Lerrone Richards.
Teofimo Lopez is next?
It’ll be interesting to see who’s next for the Top Rated hack as they trim the fat off their roster in weeding out boxers who are getting nowhere.
The one guy that has to be considered the next boxer that the Top Rated needs to get rid of is Teofimo López because he is a misfit and in serious trouble like Berlanga, if not more.
