Berlanga Drops Quigley Four Times En Route To Decision
Edgar Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) was extended the distance yet again as he dropped Jason Quigley (20-3, 14 KOs) four times before claiming a unanimous decision. The bout took place at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, USA. Two judges scored the contest 116-108 while the third had it 118-106, all for Berlanga.
It was Berlanga’s fifth fight in a row that had gone the distance. The first 16 fights of his career not only ended via stoppage, they were all over before the bell could be rung to end the first round. However, since stopping Ulises Sierra in December 2020, he has yet to win a fight inside the distance. Against Quigley, Berlanga fought his first ever 12-rounder and first fight with Matchroom Boxing. This was also his first fight since a decision win against Roamer Angulo just over a year ago. Part of the reason for the lengthy layoff was a six month suspension for attempting to bite Angulo during their fight. Since then, he ended his contract with Top Rank Boxing and signed a deal with Matchroom Boxing.
KNOCKDOWN! Edgar Berlanga drops Jason Quigley at the end of the 3rd round 👊#BerlangaQuigley pic.twitter.com/lbRUk7rp2Q
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 25, 2023
Berlanga vs. Quigley fight recap
From the very beginning, Quigley utilized a wide stance and high guard. In the opening round, he was able to land a straight right hand from time to time as Berlanga stalked him down. Quigley grew in confidence in the second round, never giving Berlanga the opportunity to unleash the right hand.
Berlanga began to have success in the third as he used his jab to get on the inside. As the round was nearing its end, he dropped Quigley with a left hook to the chin and overhand right to the temple. Berlanga was credited with a second knockdown in the fifth as he landed a left hook to the body. As a result, Quigley appeared to trip over his feet but the referee instead issued a count.
Despite not being dropped himself, Berlanga was stunned in the seventh round. However, he was quickly able to recover. For most of the fight, Berlanga struggled to cut of the ring. His most successful round turned out to be the twelfth. Berlanga dropped Quigley twice in round twelve before going on to win a unanimous decision on the judges scorecards.
Berlanga himself admitted that this was not his finest win.
“This was just, we just scraped the rust off,” he stated. “That last round is how we’re gonna start the first round in every fight from now on.”
Another step up in opposition is expected for Berlanga’s next bout. As stated in the post fight interview below, promoter Eddie Hearn does plan on having him face better opponents. Fight fans can expect an interesting next couple of months as Berlanga continues his development.
Big fights to come for @EdgarBerlangaJr 💨#BerlangaQuigley | DAZN pic.twitter.com/uYuYUBYJlx
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) June 25, 2023
Currently writing out of Toronto, Canada, Saadeq first became a boxing fan while living in Doha, Qatar. Looking to become more involved in the sport, he began writing about boxing and has had work published in outlets such as Seconds Out and Boxing Social. He looks forward to continue covering boxing on Big Fight Weekend.