Edgar Berlanga Officially Headlining March New York Show

Super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga has been aiming towards headlining a show in New York. And on Wednesday, Top Rank Boxing made official that he be featured on their March 19th card at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater.

The hard punching Berlanga began his career with 16 straight first round KOs, but went the distance twice last year and had to overcome adversity in the second bout.  He had to have surgery to repair a torn biceps suffered last October against Marcelo Esteban Coceres. That win improved Berlanga to 18-0 and now, he will make his 2022 debut in a 10-rounder against Steve Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs).

The Brooklyn-born Berlanga is ready to begin a new knockout streak against Rolls, a Canadian veteran who has a pair of knockout wins since a 2019 TKO defeat to Gennadiy Golovkin.

Berlanga vs. Rolls will be part of what Top Rank is billing “The Night of Young Stars.” And, it will also feature American Olympic Silver Medalist from Tokyo last Fall,  Keyshawn Davis against Esteban Sanchez, and rising star, Xander Zayas vs. Quincy LaVallais.

The bouts will be broadcast live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

From the Top Rank press release, Berlanga had to say at his Las Vegas training camp.

“I think 2022 is going to be a big year for me, and I can’t wait to kick it off in my first main event in New York. I learned a lot from my last fight, and I’ve been working really hard on correcting my mistakes. After my surgery, I chose to do my rehab out here in Las Vegas so I could not only do physical therapy with the best team in the business, but also focus 100 percent on boxing. The fans are going to see big things from me this year beginning March 19.”

“Having my first main event at home is amazing. I’m ready to show everyone what I’m made of. I want people to see that I can sell out an arena. I don’t need to have a title or a big-name opponent to sell tickets. I have a fanbase, and everyone is going to see that on March 19.”

“I’m proud to represent New York City and Puerto Rico. I want to be the next great Puerto Rican champion. My first memories of boxing are watching Tito Trinidad fight as a little kid, and I want to give the Puerto Rican people someone that they can be proud of.”

Certainly, Berlanga has a following in NYC and now we’ll find out if he can deliver the big punching KO that we saw him rocket up the 168 lb. rankings in 2020 and early 2021. He scored three first round stoppages from July-December of 2020.