Edgar Berlanga has been suspended for six months and fined $10,000 for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on June 11.
Edgar Berlanga won’t be fighting again for at least a half year.
The super middleweight contender has been suspended for six months by the New York State Athletic Commision for biting the neck of Roamer Alexis Angulo on June 11 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) also was fined $10,000.
The Brooklyn fighter, who was well ahead on the scorecards, opened his mouth and made contact with Angulo’s neck in the seventh round of their 10-round bout. Angulo jumped away and told his cornermen between rounds what Berlanga had done.
Referee Ricky Gonzalez evidently didn’t see the foul because he took no action.
Berlanga made light of the bite immediately after the fight but apologized the following day.
Edgar Berlanga has been suspended for six months and fined $10,000 for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on June 11.
Edgar Berlanga won’t be fighting again for at least a half year.
The super middleweight contender has been suspended for six months by the New York State Athletic Commision for biting the neck of Roamer Alexis Angulo on June 11 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) also was fined $10,000.
The Brooklyn fighter, who was well ahead on the scorecards, opened his mouth and made contact with Angulo’s neck in the seventh round of their 10-round bout. Angulo jumped away and told his cornermen between rounds what Berlanga had done.
Referee Ricky Gonzalez evidently didn’t see the foul because he took no action.
Berlanga made light of the bite immediately after the fight but apologized the following day.
Good, bad, worse: Naoya Inoue delivered another monstrous performance against Nonito Donaire on Tuesday in Japan.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Never has a boxing nickname been more appropriate.
Naoya “Monster” Inoue gave an awe-inspiring performance this past Tuesday in Saitama, Japan, unleashing what might be an unmatched combination of speed and power to annihilate Nonito Donaire in two rounds.
The unified bantamweight champion, in his prime at 29, seems to be as close to flawless as a boxer can get. He’s No. 2 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list but creeping up on No. 1 Terence Crawford.
Skeptics (if there are any) might point out that he looked human in his first fight with the Filipino-American, in 2019. Donaire pushed Inoue as hard as anyone has en route to losing a unanimous decision in Saitama.
However, Inoue in that fight suffered a broken orbital bone, which can be so painful that some fighters who with the injury have to quit immediately. Inoue fought through it against a hard-punching, future Hall of Famer to maintain his perfect record.
That performance made it clear to me that Inoue has unusual toughness to go with all his other off-the-charts attributes.
I also have to say that I feared for Donaire’s safety going into the rematch. The injury had healed 100%. And Donaire is 39, which told me that he might not be the same fighter he was in 2019 in spite of subsequent knockout victories over Nordine Oubaali and Reymart Gaballo.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised that Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) stopped Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs). It was the way he stopped him that left me in awe. It was as if Donaire was run over by a speeding Ferrari. He didn’t know what it him.
I don’t think anyone at 118 pounds could give Inoue a significant challenge, which might mean that the former 108- and 115-pound titleholder will have to move up to 122 to get a meaningful fight. That’s where united titleholder Stephen Fulton resides.
Is Fulton too big of a reach for Inoue? I hope we get the opportunity to find out.
BAD
Middleweight contender Jaime Munguia got the job done against Jimmy Kelly on Saturday in Anaheim, California, putting him down three times and stopping him in the fifth round of a scheduled 12-round super middleweight bout.
However, he struggled for four-plus rounds, which might not bode well for his future.
Kelly, a clever, athletic boxer, frustrated Munguia with his stick-and-move tactics as the Mexican tried to figure out a way to slow him down. He never really did solve the puzzle. He just happened to catch the Irishman with a left hook in Round 5, which led to two more knock downs and the end of the fight.
Of course, Munguia (40-0, 32 KOs) deserves credit for his accomplishment. He didn’t land the pivotal punch accidently. He saw an opening and seized it, which is what good fighters do.
At the same time, how would a better, more durable middleweight do against Munguia? Jermall Charlo, for example. Charlo can box and move like Kelly did but he can take a punch and deliver his own damaging blows, something Kelly (26-3, 10 KOs) couldn’t do.
Munguia wants that fight for obvious reasons. Charlo holds one of the 160-pound titles, which Munguia covets. And, belts aside, it would be the biggest, most-lucrative fight in his career.
The two seemed to have reached a deal to fight next month but negotiations fell apart over television rights, a problem that might preclude the matchup from happening at all. Charlo is affiliated with Showtime and Fox, Munguia with DAZN.
And Charlo reportedly is in talks to face Tim Tszyu, which appears to be bad news for Munguia.
If Munguia doesn’t get the Charlo fight, he said he might move up to 168 rather than wait until after unified titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin fights 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez in September or face another beltholder, Demetrius Andrade, who might give Munguia all kinds of problems.
If he does tangle with Charlo? It’s a compelling matchup. However, I would make Charlo a bigger favorite after what I saw on Saturday.
WORSE
Nonito Donaire lasted less than two full rounds in his rematch with Naoya Inoue. Associated Press
I hated to see Donaire go out that way, assuming that he’s finished. And I know I’m not alone.
The former four-division titleholder became a fan favorite and must-see attraction long ago because of his engaging personality, exciting style, explosive power and passion for the sport. Everyone loves Nonito Donaire.
That’s why it was difficult to watch him get destroyed so thoroughly by Inoue. Other great fighters have suffered similar fates but that doesn’t make it easy to witness.
But let’s not feel too sorry for the Filipino-American. He had accomplished so much in his career that his recent success – the solid effort against Inoue and KOs of Oubaali and Reymart – seemed like bonus points, which were unnecessary for him to enter the Hall of Fame one day.
Donaire, a warrior until the end, made a tremendous statement just by agreeing to face one of the most-feared fighters in the world a second time. He said with his actions that if was going to continue to fight, he was going to do it against the best possible opposition. That should be a lesson for other top fighters.
And it wasn’t as if he showed up to lose. He genuinely believed he had made the necessary adjustments from the first fight to beat his rival in the rematch.
That seems almost foolish after the fact but that was Donaire, whose unwavering belief in himself was one reason he enjoyed so much success. He saw himself as a great fighter. And great fighters almost always find ways to win.
If we’ve seen the last of Donaire in the ring, he will have left behind so many wonderful memories. The break-through, one-punch knockout of Vic Darchinyan in 2007, the breathtaking stoppages that followed, his Fight of the Year campaign in 2012, his late-career comeback and more.
They don’t make ’em much better than Nonito Donaire.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Edgard Berlangaapologized on Sunday for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo and then joking about it Saturday night in New York. The mea culpa was a smart move but doesn’t erase the fact that he crossed a line and will most likely pay a price, whether it’s a suspension, fine or both from the New York State Athletic Commission. Berlanga won the 10-round fight by a decision but it was a rough night for him. … Condolences to those close to 24-year-old South African boxer Simiso Buthelezi, who died from a brain injury a few days after a fight against countryman Siphesihle Mntungwa on June 5 in Durban. A disturbing video of an injured, disoriented Buthelezi throwing punches at no one in a corner in the 10th and final round was widely circulated on the internet. The referee stopped the fight at that moment and Buthelezi collapsed shortly afterward. He died in a hospital. Making matters worse, Mntungwa has said that he is suicidal over his opponent’s death. Ring deaths in boxing are uncommon but they’re always excruciating.
Good, bad, worse: Naoya Inoue delivered another monstrous performance against Nonito Donaire on Tuesday in Japan.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Never has a boxing nickname been more appropriate.
Naoya “Monster” Inoue gave an awe-inspiring performance this past Tuesday in Saitama, Japan, unleashing what might be an unmatched combination of speed and power to annihilate Nonito Donaire in two rounds.
The unified bantamweight champion, in his prime at 29, seems to be as close to flawless as a boxer can get. He’s No. 2 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list but creeping up on No. 1 Terence Crawford.
Skeptics (if there are any) might point out that he looked human in his first fight with the Filipino-American, in 2019. Donaire pushed Inoue as hard as anyone has en route to losing a unanimous decision in Saitama.
However, Inoue in that fight suffered a broken orbital bone, which can be so painful that some fighters who with the injury have to quit immediately. Inoue fought through it against a hard-punching, future Hall of Famer to maintain his perfect record.
That performance made it clear to me that Inoue has unusual toughness to go with all his other off-the-charts attributes.
I also have to say that I feared for Donaire’s safety going into the rematch. The injury had healed 100%. And Donaire is 39, which told me that he might not be the same fighter he was in 2019 in spite of subsequent knockout victories over Nordine Oubaali and Reymart Gaballo.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised that Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) stopped Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs). It was the way he stopped him that left me in awe. It was as if Donaire was run over by a speeding Ferrari. He didn’t know what it him.
I don’t think anyone at 118 pounds could give Inoue a significant challenge, which might mean that the former 108- and 115-pound titleholder will have to move up to 122 to get a meaningful fight. That’s where united titleholder Stephen Fulton resides.
Is Fulton too big of a reach for Inoue? I hope we get the opportunity to find out.
BAD
Middleweight contender Jaime Munguia got the job done against Jimmy Kelly on Saturday in Anaheim, California, putting him down three times and stopping him in the fifth round of a scheduled 12-round super middleweight bout.
However, he struggled for four-plus rounds, which might not bode well for his future.
Kelly, a clever, athletic boxer, frustrated Munguia with his stick-and-move tactics as the Mexican tried to figure out a way to slow him down. He never really did solve the puzzle. He just happened to catch the Irishman with a left hook in Round 5, which led to two more knock downs and the end of the fight.
Of course, Munguia (40-0, 32 KOs) deserves credit for his accomplishment. He didn’t land the pivotal punch accidently. He saw an opening and seized it, which is what good fighters do.
At the same time, how would a better, more durable middleweight do against Munguia? Jermall Charlo, for example. Charlo can box and move like Kelly did but he can take a punch and deliver his own damaging blows, something Kelly (26-3, 10 KOs) couldn’t do.
Munguia wants that fight for obvious reasons. Charlo holds one of the 160-pound titles, which Munguia covets. And, belts aside, it would be the biggest, most-lucrative fight in his career.
The two seemed to have reached a deal to fight next month but negotiations fell apart over television rights, a problem that might preclude the matchup from happening at all. Charlo is affiliated with Showtime and Fox, Munguia with DAZN.
And Charlo reportedly is in talks to face Tim Tszyu, which appears to be bad news for Munguia.
If Munguia doesn’t get the Charlo fight, he said he might move up to 168 rather than wait until after unified titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin fights 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez in September or face another beltholder, Demetrius Andrade, who might give Munguia all kinds of problems.
If he does tangle with Charlo? It’s a compelling matchup. However, I would make Charlo a bigger favorite after what I saw on Saturday.
WORSE
Nonito Donaire lasted less than two full rounds in his rematch with Naoya Inoue. Associated Press
I hated to see Donaire go out that way, assuming that he’s finished. And I know I’m not alone.
The former four-division titleholder became a fan favorite and must-see attraction long ago because of his engaging personality, exciting style, explosive power and passion for the sport. Everyone loves Nonito Donaire.
That’s why it was difficult to watch him get destroyed so thoroughly by Inoue. Other great fighters have suffered similar fates but that doesn’t make it easy to witness.
But let’s not feel too sorry for the Filipino-American. He had accomplished so much in his career that his recent success – the solid effort against Inoue and KOs of Oubaali and Reymart – seemed like bonus points, which were unnecessary for him to enter the Hall of Fame one day.
Donaire, a warrior until the end, made a tremendous statement just by agreeing to face one of the most-feared fighters in the world a second time. He said with his actions that if was going to continue to fight, he was going to do it against the best possible opposition. That should be a lesson for other top fighters.
And it wasn’t as if he showed up to lose. He genuinely believed he had made the necessary adjustments from the first fight to beat his rival in the rematch.
That seems almost foolish after the fact but that was Donaire, whose unwavering belief in himself was one reason he enjoyed so much success. He saw himself as a great fighter. And great fighters almost always find ways to win.
If we’ve seen the last of Donaire in the ring, he will have left behind so many wonderful memories. The break-through, one-punch knockout of Vic Darchinyan in 2007, the breathtaking stoppages that followed, his Fight of the Year campaign in 2012, his late-career comeback and more.
They don’t make ’em much better than Nonito Donaire.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Edgard Berlangaapologized on Sunday for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo and then joking about it Saturday night in New York. The mea culpa was a smart move but doesn’t erase the fact that he crossed a line and will most likely pay a price, whether it’s a suspension, fine or both from the New York State Athletic Commission. Berlanga won the 10-round fight by a decision but it was a rough night for him. … Condolences to those close to 24-year-old South African boxer Simiso Buthelezi, who died from a brain injury a few days after a fight against countryman Siphesihle Mntungwa on June 5 in Durban. A disturbing video of an injured, disoriented Buthelezi throwing punches at no one in a corner in the 10th and final round was widely circulated on the internet. The referee stopped the fight at that moment and Buthelezi collapsed shortly afterward. He died in a hospital. Making matters worse, Mntungwa has said that he is suicidal over his opponent’s death. Ring deaths in boxing are uncommon but they’re always excruciating.
Edgar Berlanga apologized for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo and his comments when he was asked about the incident.
Edgar Berlanga now understands that what he did was wrong.
The super middleweight contender bit opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on the neck in the seventh round of their 10-round fight Saturday in New York City, where Berlanga won by a unanimous decision.
After the fight, he seemed to dismiss his actions by joking that he “was about to do a Mike Tyson on him. However, on Sunday, he tweeted an apology.
“I want to apologize for my actions and what I said yesterday about the Mike Tyson bite,” Berlanga said. “I was in the moment and I got a little ahead of myself. It doesn’t take away from the embarrassment that I have caused upon myself, my team, [Top Rank], and many others.”
He went on: “I reacted poorly and take full responsibility. Moving forward, I am going to be more mindful and encouraging in my behavior. Once again, I do apologize.”
Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) could still be suspended and/or fined for his actions.
Edgar Berlanga apologized for biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo and his comments when he was asked about the incident.
Edgar Berlanga now understands that what he did was wrong.
The super middleweight contender bit opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on the neck in the seventh round of their 10-round fight Saturday in New York City, where Berlanga won by a unanimous decision.
After the fight, he seemed to dismiss his actions by joking that he “was about to do a Mike Tyson on him. However, on Sunday, he tweeted an apology.
“I want to apologize for my actions and what I said yesterday about the Mike Tyson bite,” Berlanga said. “I was in the moment and I got a little ahead of myself. It doesn’t take away from the embarrassment that I have caused upon myself, my team, [Top Rank], and many others.”
He went on: “I reacted poorly and take full responsibility. Moving forward, I am going to be more mindful and encouraging in my behavior. Once again, I do apologize.”
Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) could still be suspended and/or fined for his actions.
Opinion: Struggling Edgar Berlanga must pay a price for biting Roamer Angulo in their fight Saturday in New York.
Edgar Berlanga is in trouble, in more ways than one.
The young man who caused a sensation by starting his career with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts is suddenly trying to find himself as a fighter. And, as if that wasn’t challenging enough, he now could face the consequences of biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Berlanga outpointed the 38-year-old Colombian – his fourth consecutive decision – but no one would describe his performance as impressive. He did just enough to win, which isn’t a path to the stardom he and his team envision for him.
His punching power seems to have been reserved only for third-tier opposition.
He could say, “Well, I’ve fought only 54 professional rounds. I’m still developing.” Or, “I followed the game plan. No need to pursue a knockout.” Or, “I’m transitioning to new trainer Juan De Leon.” True, true and true.
Still, the fact is he looked ordinary, just as he did in his previous three fights. That should be alarming to him and those around him, including ESPN.
The Brooklyn product’s own hometown fans didn’t boo him as the non-eventful fight progressed but they clearly became restless for lack of anything to cheer for. They were uninspired, which is another bad sign for Berlanga.
And the Mike Tyson-like bite?
Berlanga clearly opened his mouth and made contact with the neck of Angulo in the seventh round, although it’s not clear whether or how hard clamped down.
We know this: Angulo recoiled when it happened, similar to the way Evander Holyfield reacted when Tyson went berserk and chewed off a portion of his ear in 1997.
Referee Ricky Gonzalez evidently didn’t see what happened, which obviously would have been grounds to disqualify Berlanga. He avoided that indignity but we all saw what we saw, both live and in repeated replays.
Promoter Lou DiBella spoke for all of us when he tweeted: “If you bite your opponent like you’re a rabid dog you should be disqualified.”
Berlanga didn’t deny that it happened. He merely tried to dismiss it in a strange post-fight interview, joking that “I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him” because Angulo had been elbowing him.
It was no joke.
The New York State Athletic Commission will have no choice but to suspend Berlanga for his actions or risk universal ridicule. The NYSAC must say with its own actions that such behavior is not acceptable.
I would suspend him for six months, which would cost him one fight. That would give him time think about how he’ll battle the inner demons that surfaced at that moment and convinced him to become a cannibal.
It would also give him and his team time to take a step back, assess his performances since the knockout streak ended and determine the best path forward in an attempt to maintain his teetering status as a relevant fighter.
It won’t be easy. I wouldn’t say that Berlanga’s reputation is shot but a once-high-flying career now appears to be in a tailspin.
Opinion: Struggling Edgar Berlanga must pay a price for biting Roamer Angulo in their fight Saturday in New York.
Edgar Berlanga is in trouble, in more ways than one.
The young man who caused a sensation by starting his career with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts is suddenly trying to find himself as a fighter. And, as if that wasn’t challenging enough, he now could face the consequences of biting opponent Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Berlanga outpointed the 38-year-old Colombian – his fourth consecutive decision – but no one would describe his performance as impressive. He did just enough to win, which isn’t a path to the stardom he and his team envision for him.
His punching power seems to have been reserved only for third-tier opposition.
He could say, “Well, I’ve fought only 54 professional rounds. I’m still developing.” Or, “I followed the game plan. No need to pursue a knockout.” Or, “I’m transitioning to new trainer Juan De Leon.” True, true and true.
Still, the fact is he looked ordinary, just as he did in his previous three fights. That should be alarming to him and those around him, including ESPN.
The Brooklyn product’s own hometown fans didn’t boo him as the non-eventful fight progressed but they clearly became restless for lack of anything to cheer for. They were uninspired, which is another bad sign for Berlanga.
And the Mike Tyson-like bite?
Berlanga clearly opened his mouth and made contact with the neck of Angulo in the seventh round, although it’s not clear whether or how hard clamped down.
We know this: Angulo recoiled when it happened, similar to the way Evander Holyfield reacted when Tyson went berserk and chewed off a portion of his ear in 1997.
Referee Ricky Gonzalez evidently didn’t see what happened, which obviously would have been grounds to disqualify Berlanga. He avoided that indignity but we all saw what we saw, both live and in repeated replays.
Promoter Lou DiBella spoke for all of us when he tweeted: “If you bite your opponent like you’re a rabid dog you should be disqualified.”
Berlanga didn’t deny that it happened. He merely tried to dismiss it in a strange post-fight interview, joking that “I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him” because Angulo had been elbowing him.
It was no joke.
The New York State Athletic Commission will have no choice but to suspend Berlanga for his actions or risk universal ridicule. The NYSAC must say with its own actions that such behavior is not acceptable.
I would suspend him for six months, which would cost him one fight. That would give him time think about how he’ll battle the inner demons that surfaced at that moment and convinced him to become a cannibal.
It would also give him and his team time to take a step back, assess his performances since the knockout streak ended and determine the best path forward in an attempt to maintain his teetering status as a relevant fighter.
It won’t be easy. I wouldn’t say that Berlanga’s reputation is shot but a once-high-flying career now appears to be in a tailspin.
Edgar Berlanga’s victory was sullied by a Mike Tyson-like bite on opponent Roamer Angulo’s neck Saturday in New York.
Another fight for Edgar Berlanga, another less-than-inspiring performance. And a disturbing moment.
The unbeaten super middleweight contender did enough to defeat 39-year-old two-time title challenger Roamer Alexis Angulo by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout Saturday night at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
However, it was far from a dominating performance. Much worse, in the seventh round, he appeared to bite Angulo on the neck. The referee evidently didn’t see it but the world did. And, obviously, it was a horrible look for him.
Berlanga joked about the incident after the fight but the damage was done. He could (should?) be suspended for his actions.
“It was because he was throwing elbows,” he said of Angulo. “I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him. He kept throwing elbows. I didn’t want to get cut. I was ready to bite him [like] Mike Tyson.”
Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) started his career with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts. However, those days apparently are long gone.
Angulo (27-3, 23 KOs) was the fourth consecutive opponent to go the distance with the Brooklyn product, who worked with new trainer Juan De Leon for this fight.
Berlanga boxed reasonably well, landing his jab consistently and connecting on enough power shots to win rounds. However, he never gave the aggressive Angulo a reason — a truly big punch, combinations, anything — to stop attacking.
The Colombian wasn’t able to land enough clean shots to win the fight but he was in it until the end.
That’s more than can be said of the pro-Berlanga crowd, who seemed to get restless because of the lack of action. Berlanga won on the cards — 99-91, 99-91 and 98-92 — but probably didn’t win too many more fans.
“We said if we landed a clean shot, if he goes, he goes,” Berlanga said. “But if we gotta box 10 rounds … I wanted to do that. I wanted to show the critics, all the people who said I’m not worthy … to compete with the veterans sooner or later.
“So I feel tonight I proved my point.”
Did he?
And, of course, Round 7 didn’t help his cause. He and Angulo were locked in a clinch when excellent camera work showed Berlanga opening his mouth and making contact with Angulo’s neck.
Angulo actually jumped away and pawed at his neck, much as Evander Holyfield did when Tyson bit him on the ear in 1997. And Angulo told his trainer after the round what had happened, according to a ringside interviewer.
Berlanga got his victory but it obviously wasn’t his best night.
