There’s gold in them there fists. Power-puncher Edgar Berlanga, yet to see round-two in a pro fight, will be in action again on Saturday, looking for his 17th straight win and his 17th straight KO – maybe his 17th straight 1st-round KO! The 23 year old Puerto Rican 168 pounder has already attracted quite a fan following, his amazing numbers making him something of a sensation.
And promoter Bob Arum is firmly on board, suggesting how Berlanga has genuine superstar qualities about him. Speaking with Ringtv.com, the Hall of Fame promoter went as far as to say this: “I really believe that if all things fall into place, a Berlanga-Canelo fight would be this generation’s Pacquiao-Mayweather. It definitely will be.”
Now, as we all know, the Mayweather-Pacquiao “Fight of the Century” was actually one big dud of a fight, practically bereft of action. But you know what Arum means, he means Berlanga can become huge, as in Mayweather huge, as in Pacquiao huge. There seems to be a long, long way to go at this stage, and the next thing that needs to fall into place before anything as grand as that can happen, is Berlanga’s upcoming fight. Demond Nicholson, 23-3-1(20) says he is no fall guy, that he will derail Berlanga. If he is victorious on Saturday – and how much pressure is there on Berlanga to get that next KO – the plan is for him to return in June, in another step-up fight.
If he can see out this year with a perfect record, a perfect KO record, then maybe Berlanga will do what Arum says and reach superstar status. And imagine if Berlanga did one day fight Canelo and knocked him out! In a round! Okay, let’s slow down. But everyone, Arum included, is excited by a fighter who possesses the raw punching power Berlanga has in his hands (and though Berlanga has not faced elite guys thus far, he has not bowled over patsies either), and maybe we have in front of us the sport’s next crossover star.
Nicholson says he will “take Berlanga into the deep waters,” and that he will then welcome him “to the dark places I’ve been,” (Nicholson almost died due to a serious kidney ailment a few years back). We have an interesting fight to look forward to on Saturday, that’s for sure. Berlanga, however, is deadly serious about getting that 17th straight KO win.
“Listen, I know I’m gonna get that mother f**** out of there [on Saturday]. He’s not coming out of there alive,” Berlanga said in frightening terms when speaking with Ring.
Will it be a 17th straight first-round KO for Berlanga on Saturday? And what will Berlanga’s future look like if it is?