Edgar Berlanga says he’s planning his own “fight for return” but he is open to fighting Terence Crawford for his undisputed 168 crown. The Brooklyn, Fresh York native says he has “substantial things on the plate” for 2026, when he will return to the ring.
Can it be rebuilt?
The former Matchroom promotion Berlanga hasn’t given any hints on who he might face in his next fight, but it would be in his best interest to pick a sheltered, lower-level opponent to ensure he doesn’t get beaten again. His record is mainly based on victories over cans of tomatoes. So if he continues like this, the 168-pound weight class may remain a viable option for real talent.
Berlanga (23-2, 18 KO) was crushed in five rounds by Hamzah Sheeraz earlier this year on July 12 in Queens, Fresh York. He didn’t look good at all in this fight, being dropped twice at the end of the fourth round by Hamzah and being finished early in the fifth.
The defeat was Edgar’s second in his last three fights, and it is doubtful whether his manager Keith Connolly will be able to rebuild him enough to make him a mainstream fighter for other substantial prizes.
Despite the fact that he did not defeat any significant competitor, Berlanga made millions from fights with Sheeraz and Canelo Alvarez. He’s opulent now and can afford to be picky. Twenty-eight-year-old Edgar is opulent and will have to stay hungry to change his career. We have seen what happened to many players when they get a taste of money.
Crawford on your radar
“For sure. Definitely,” said Edgar Berlanga Fight when asked if he would be interested in fighting Terence Crawford for his undisputed super middleweight championship. “Right now I’m focused on fighting to come back.”
It’s unrealistic for Crawford to give Berlanga a shot at the title because it would be a pure waste of time. Such a mismatch would not arouse fan interest. At this point, Berlanga is at the bottom and is low-hanging fruit for Bud or any of the top dogs at 168.
Superstar or Mirage?
“I have to keep my head down. Whatever happened in my last fight, it’s frosty,” Berlanga said of his fifth-round knockout loss to Hamzah Sheeraz on July 12. “It didn’t dim my lightweight at all. I’m still a superstar. I am the king of Fresh York. I’m flying. I look good and I fight well.
Edgar is now free to sign with anyone as a free agent after leaving Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom. It is unclear whether Turki Alalshikh would be interested in using him for another event after Sheeraz blew him away.
It would be more profitable for Turki to focus on better talent like these three super middleweights:
Osley Iglesias
Christian Mbilla
Lester Martinez
“I’m excited for next year. I have substantial things on my mind,” Berlanga said.
Ken Woods was a senior writer in Boxing News 24 since 2013, covering sports from every angle. With years of reporting from the ring, he delivers fight news, results and analysis that cuts through the noise. Ken’s work consistently focuses on champions, challengers and prospects, giving fans a piercing and well-informed view of the global boxing scene.
The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.
He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.
Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.
After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.
However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.
Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.
Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.
It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.
“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”
While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.
Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”
For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.
When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.
As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.
At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.
While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.
Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.
His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.
Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.
This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.
Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.
This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.
However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.
I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.
“Ryan knocks him out.”
As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.
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