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.
Edgar Berlanga will continue his quest to emulate the great Puerto Rican fighters when he takes on Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday.
Edgar Berlanga has lofty goals.
The unbeaten Puerto Rican-American slugger wants to be the next boxing hero to the rabid fans in his parents’ native land, following in the footsteps of great fighters like Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto.
Berlanga trained on the island for his super middleweight fight against Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, not far from his native Brooklyn (ESPN, ESPN+).
He met with Trinidad early in camp and received “some very encouraging and motivating advice. He is my hero!”
“I’m very excited and can’t wait to get in the ring in Madison Square Garden, just like Tito and Cotto used to do,” Berlanga said. “Those are some pretty big shoes to fill, and it will not be easy, but I’m up for the task, and I’m ready to do my own thing and put on a great show for all my people.”
“This fight will be big for my career. I’m ready to show up and show out as the new face of all Puerto Rican boxing. With this fight, I will set the tone and show everyone what I’m capable of. I have to win big and I will.”
Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs) started his career with 16 first-round knockouts, which caused a sensation in the industry.
However, his last three opponents have taken him the distance. That includes veteran Steve Rolls this past March, when he won a unanimous decision but didn’t look particularly good doing it.
The 25-year-old seems to acknowledge that he has room to grow in light of the relatively few rounds he has fought as a professional, only 44. At the same time, he has confidence in his ability.
“I have been working very hard,” he said. “I’ve been working on polishing all aspects of my game. You guys will see a real monster on June 11, a monster that has a lot of power, but also a monster that knows how to box and set things up.
“Don’t get me wrong. He’s a tough fighter, and he will come to fight, but I will break him down.”
The fight with the 38-year-old Angulo (27-2, 23 KOs) is a relatively small step toward emulating the accomplishments of his Puerto Rican heroes but, to him, this is an important event.
Not only will he be fighting at the Garden – where Trinidad and Cotto thrilled fans so many times – he will be doing so on the day before the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. He gushes with pride over his ancestral nation.
“I’m so pumped to be headlining my second main event at … Madison Square Garden,” he said. “Get ready for another sold-out crowd. This one will be special because this will be my first main event during the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, just like my idols Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad and Miguel Cotto did.
“I’m following in the footsteps of greatness, but also continuing the legacy of bringing my people together on a beautiful weekend.”
Edgar Berlanga will continue his quest to emulate the great Puerto Rican fighters when he takes on Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday.
Edgar Berlanga has lofty goals.
The unbeaten Puerto Rican-American slugger wants to be the next boxing hero to the rabid fans in his parents’ native land, following in the footsteps of great fighters like Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto.
Berlanga trained on the island for his super middleweight fight against Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, not far from his native Brooklyn (ESPN, ESPN+).
He met with Trinidad early in camp and received “some very encouraging and motivating advice. He is my hero!”
“I’m very excited and can’t wait to get in the ring in Madison Square Garden, just like Tito and Cotto used to do,” Berlanga said. “Those are some pretty big shoes to fill, and it will not be easy, but I’m up for the task, and I’m ready to do my own thing and put on a great show for all my people.”
“This fight will be big for my career. I’m ready to show up and show out as the new face of all Puerto Rican boxing. With this fight, I will set the tone and show everyone what I’m capable of. I have to win big and I will.”
Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs) started his career with 16 first-round knockouts, which caused a sensation in the industry.
However, his last three opponents have taken him the distance. That includes veteran Steve Rolls this past March, when he won a unanimous decision but didn’t look particularly good doing it.
The 25-year-old seems to acknowledge that he has room to grow in light of the relatively few rounds he has fought as a professional, only 44. At the same time, he has confidence in his ability.
“I have been working very hard,” he said. “I’ve been working on polishing all aspects of my game. You guys will see a real monster on June 11, a monster that has a lot of power, but also a monster that knows how to box and set things up.
“Don’t get me wrong. He’s a tough fighter, and he will come to fight, but I will break him down.”
The fight with the 38-year-old Angulo (27-2, 23 KOs) is a relatively small step toward emulating the accomplishments of his Puerto Rican heroes but, to him, this is an important event.
Not only will he be fighting at the Garden – where Trinidad and Cotto thrilled fans so many times – he will be doing so on the day before the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. He gushes with pride over his ancestral nation.
“I’m so pumped to be headlining my second main event at … Madison Square Garden,” he said. “Get ready for another sold-out crowd. This one will be special because this will be my first main event during the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, just like my idols Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad and Miguel Cotto did.
“I’m following in the footsteps of greatness, but also continuing the legacy of bringing my people together on a beautiful weekend.”
David Benavidez took no chances with his weight for his fight this Saturday after losing his title on the scales last time out.
Were you surprised that David Benavidez made weight for his fight Saturday? Benavidez wasn’t.
The former super middleweight champion lost his title and some respect on the scales before his defense against Roamer Alexis Angulo this past August at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., coming in a whopping 2.75 pounds over the 168-pound limit.
The 24-year-old blamed difficult conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic for his misstep, at least part. However, in the end, he knew the main culprit was himself and took full responsibility.
He pulled out all stops to make sure the same thing didn’t happen for his title eliminator against Ronald Ellis on Saturday night at the same venue: He weighed in Friday at 167.25, as did Ellis.
What was different this time?
He trained at high altitude in secluded Big Bear, Calif. — about a 2½-hour drive from Los Angeles — for the first time since 2017, which allowed him to focus 100% on training. He watched his diet carefully. And, most important, he was motivated to get it right.
Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) said he weighed 168 pounds four days before the fight.
“There was more at stake at this point because the last time I didn’t make weight,” he said during the final news conference. “I had something to prove to myself and my fans. Also a big key to this training camp is [we] just had my son. Having him around and just being a father made me 10 times more motivated than I already was.
“I’m not only fighting for myself [now]. I’m fighting for my family, for my team, for my people, everybody who follows me and everybody who supports me.”
David Benavidez (left) stopped Roamer Alexis Angulo after losing his super middleweight title. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Benavidez trained in Big Bear in the past, the last time for his fight against Rogelio Medina in May 2017, but he’s now sold on the serene setting after spending three months there for the fight on Saturday.
The spartan conditions seem to be the main selling point.
“Every time I go to Big Bear it’s always one of the best training camps I’ve had,” said Benavidez, who is from Phoenix. “It’s just what goes into there. It’s so secluded up there. There’s only basically the grocery store, the gym and where we run.”
“… I’m definitely going to be going there every training camp I have. The place it takes me mentally and physically is just amazing. I [want] to give my fans 110 percent of myself every time I go in the fight and in training camp too.
“So that’s the decision I made with myself, my team, my dad. … It’s definitely going to help me be in this weight division for way longer.”
The fact he was on weight days before the fight would be unusual for most fighters, who generally taper down until the weigh-in. But that was his plan. He wasn’t taking any chances.
And, again, one key was what he put into his body – and what he didn’t.
David Benavidez (left) and Ronald Ellis on Friday made the 168-pound limit for Saturday’s fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
“What I had going for me was I was very disciplined on the diet,” he said.” It’s not that I was starving myself the whole time. I was eating very good, fish, egg whites, salad, a lot of water. I didn’t drain myself at all. I probably overate in a lot of cases. I just wanted to get [to Connecticut] at lower weight and that’s exactly what we did. And now it’s paying off.
“I’ve never been this relaxed for a fight. I haven’t even trained this whole time since I’ve been here and I’m still under weight. It feels really good to relax and worry about the fight and not the weight.”
He went on: “I’m not even drained at all trying to make the weight. I’m happy, I’m enjoying every second of being in the bubble, unlike last time I was struggling to make weight. I’m in good spirits.”
Benavidez doesn’t seem to be overly concerned about the backward step he took before the Angulo fight, which he won by a 10th-round knockout. It was a learning experience, as was the loss of an earlier title for testing positive for cocaine.
He’s young, he pointed out several times. And he’s maturing as a person. His goals are simply to maintain his discipline and continue to win, which will eventually force the other top 168-pounders to fight him.
He’s the No. 1 contender for Canelo Alvarez’s WBC title but the Mexican star is focused on unifying titles. And Benavidez said he’d like to face middleweight champ Jermall Charlo this September, which he hopes would lead to a showdown with Alvarez.
No matter what happens, he plans to remain patient.
“I feel everything is working out on my end because I got time on my side,” he said. “I just turned 24 years old. I think the time is running out for these other fighters. I’m the youngest ex-champion in this game, in the super middleweight division. Time is on my side. I have at least 12 years left in this game.
“If they take a fight with me now or later, doesn’t really matter. I’m just going to be ready for whenever the opportunity comes.”
Of course, he must beat Ellis first.
“Things happen,” he said, referring to the weight issue. “It’s just how you come back from your mistakes and how you rebound. I feel like I’ve put all the work in for this camp. I’ve rebounded amazingly.
“Now it’s just time to perform on Saturday and show the fans what I’m really made of.”
David Benavidez took no chances with his weight for his fight this Saturday after losing his title on the scales last time out.
Were you surprised that David Benavidez made weight for his fight Saturday? Benavidez wasn’t.
The former super middleweight champion lost his title and some respect on the scales before his defense against Roamer Alexis Angulo this past August at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., coming in a whopping 2.75 pounds over the 168-pound limit.
The 24-year-old blamed difficult conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic for his misstep, at least part. However, in the end, he knew the main culprit was himself and took full responsibility.
He pulled out all stops to make sure the same thing didn’t happen for his title eliminator against Ronald Ellis on Saturday night at the same venue: He weighed in Friday at 167.25, as did Ellis.
What was different this time?
He trained at high altitude in secluded Big Bear, Calif. — about a 2½-hour drive from Los Angeles — for the first time since 2017, which allowed him to focus 100% on training. He watched his diet carefully. And, most important, he was motivated to get it right.
Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) said he weighed 168 pounds four days before the fight.
“There was more at stake at this point because the last time I didn’t make weight,” he said during the final news conference. “I had something to prove to myself and my fans. Also a big key to this training camp is [we] just had my son. Having him around and just being a father made me 10 times more motivated than I already was.
“I’m not only fighting for myself [now]. I’m fighting for my family, for my team, for my people, everybody who follows me and everybody who supports me.”
David Benavidez (left) stopped Roamer Alexis Angulo after losing his super middleweight title. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Benavidez trained in Big Bear in the past, the last time for his fight against Rogelio Medina in May 2017, but he’s now sold on the serene setting after spending three months there for the fight on Saturday.
The spartan conditions seem to be the main selling point.
“Every time I go to Big Bear it’s always one of the best training camps I’ve had,” said Benavidez, who is from Phoenix. “It’s just what goes into there. It’s so secluded up there. There’s only basically the grocery store, the gym and where we run.”
“… I’m definitely going to be going there every training camp I have. The place it takes me mentally and physically is just amazing. I [want] to give my fans 110 percent of myself every time I go in the fight and in training camp too.
“So that’s the decision I made with myself, my team, my dad. … It’s definitely going to help me be in this weight division for way longer.”
The fact he was on weight days before the fight would be unusual for most fighters, who generally taper down until the weigh-in. But that was his plan. He wasn’t taking any chances.
And, again, one key was what he put into his body – and what he didn’t.
David Benavidez (left) and Ronald Ellis on Friday made the 168-pound limit for Saturday’s fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
“What I had going for me was I was very disciplined on the diet,” he said.” It’s not that I was starving myself the whole time. I was eating very good, fish, egg whites, salad, a lot of water. I didn’t drain myself at all. I probably overate in a lot of cases. I just wanted to get [to Connecticut] at lower weight and that’s exactly what we did. And now it’s paying off.
“I’ve never been this relaxed for a fight. I haven’t even trained this whole time since I’ve been here and I’m still under weight. It feels really good to relax and worry about the fight and not the weight.”
He went on: “I’m not even drained at all trying to make the weight. I’m happy, I’m enjoying every second of being in the bubble, unlike last time I was struggling to make weight. I’m in good spirits.”
Benavidez doesn’t seem to be overly concerned about the backward step he took before the Angulo fight, which he won by a 10th-round knockout. It was a learning experience, as was the loss of an earlier title for testing positive for cocaine.
He’s young, he pointed out several times. And he’s maturing as a person. His goals are simply to maintain his discipline and continue to win, which will eventually force the other top 168-pounders to fight him.
He’s the No. 1 contender for Canelo Alvarez’s WBC title but the Mexican star is focused on unifying titles. And Benavidez said he’d like to face middleweight champ Jermall Charlo this September, which he hopes would lead to a showdown with Alvarez.
No matter what happens, he plans to remain patient.
“I feel everything is working out on my end because I got time on my side,” he said. “I just turned 24 years old. I think the time is running out for these other fighters. I’m the youngest ex-champion in this game, in the super middleweight division. Time is on my side. I have at least 12 years left in this game.
“If they take a fight with me now or later, doesn’t really matter. I’m just going to be ready for whenever the opportunity comes.”
Of course, he must beat Ellis first.
“Things happen,” he said, referring to the weight issue. “It’s just how you come back from your mistakes and how you rebound. I feel like I’ve put all the work in for this camp. I’ve rebounded amazingly.
“Now it’s just time to perform on Saturday and show the fans what I’m really made of.”
Canelo Alvarez’s next fight – against whomever he faces – might be for the now-vacant WBC super middleweight title.
Canelo Alvarez’s next fight – against whomever he faces – might be for the now-vacant WBC super middleweight title.
The title became vacant when then-beltholder David Benavidez failed to make weight for his defense against Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. Angulo would’ve claimed the title with a victory over Benavidez but lost by 10th-round KO.
Alvarez is one of a number of fighters who have thrown their hats in the WBC ring to get a shot at the vacant title, according to The Athletic. The WBC Board of Governors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Among others who reached out to the sanctioning body: Benavidez (yes, Benavidez), WBA titleholder Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim (No. 1 WBC) and Azizbek Abdugofurov (No. 2 WBC).
Alvarez holds the worthless WBA “regular” title after stopping fringe contender Rocky Fielding in December 2018. The Mexican star is also the WBC’s “franchise” middleweight titleholder.
Of course, the WBC would love to have Alvarez fight for its title because of his popularity. However, Yildirim and Abdugofurov obviously have legitimate credentials because of their rankings.
Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) has yet to announce an opponent for his next fight, which was scheduled for Sept. 12 but almost certainly will be pushed back to later in the year.
Yildirm (21-2, 12 KOs) and Abdugofurov (13-0, 5 KOs) evidently have never been on Alvarez’s radar but a fight between Alvarez and one of them for the vacant title makes sense.
Yildirim is coming off a technical-decision 10th-round loss to Anthony Dirrell for the vacant WBC title in February 2019, after which Benavidez stopped Dirrell to win the belt. Yildirim was expected to face the winner of the Benavidez-Angulo fight for the title, which presumably means he’s first in line.
Abdugofurov is one of a growing number of capable fighters from Uzbekistan.
Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) has been among prospective opponents Alvarez is considering.
Canelo Alvarez’s next fight – against whomever he faces – might be for the now-vacant WBC super middleweight title.
Canelo Alvarez’s next fight – against whomever he faces – might be for the now-vacant WBC super middleweight title.
The title became vacant when then-beltholder David Benavidez failed to make weight for his defense against Roamer Alexis Angulo on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. Angulo would’ve claimed the title with a victory over Benavidez but lost by 10th-round KO.
Alvarez is one of a number of fighters who have thrown their hats in the WBC ring to get a shot at the vacant title, according to The Athletic. The WBC Board of Governors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Among others who reached out to the sanctioning body: Benavidez (yes, Benavidez), WBA titleholder Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim (No. 1 WBC) and Azizbek Abdugofurov (No. 2 WBC).
Alvarez holds the worthless WBA “regular” title after stopping fringe contender Rocky Fielding in December 2018. The Mexican star is also the WBC’s “franchise” middleweight titleholder.
Of course, the WBC would love to have Alvarez fight for its title because of his popularity. However, Yildirim and Abdugofurov obviously have legitimate credentials because of their rankings.
Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) has yet to announce an opponent for his next fight, which was scheduled for Sept. 12 but almost certainly will be pushed back to later in the year.
Yildirm (21-2, 12 KOs) and Abdugofurov (13-0, 5 KOs) evidently have never been on Alvarez’s radar but a fight between Alvarez and one of them for the vacant title makes sense.
Yildirim is coming off a technical-decision 10th-round loss to Anthony Dirrell for the vacant WBC title in February 2019, after which Benavidez stopped Dirrell to win the belt. Yildirim was expected to face the winner of the Benavidez-Angulo fight for the title, which presumably means he’s first in line.
Abdugofurov is one of a growing number of capable fighters from Uzbekistan.
Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) has been among prospective opponents Alvarez is considering.
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza is exploring the possibility of a rematch after Rolando Romero’s controversial decision over Jackson Marinez.
Jackson Marinez could get his rematch.
Rolando Romero defeated Marinez by a unanimous decision to win the “interim” WBA lightweight title on the David Benavidez-Roamer Alexis Angulo card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
The scores were 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. Many thought Marinez did more than enough to win.
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza, recognizing the controversy, obviously believes a second fight is in order.
“I just spoke with both teams and we are going to study the possibility of a rematch,” Mendoza said, according to BoxingScene.com.
Romero (12-0, 10 KOs) has the reputation of being a big puncher and predicted a knockout. However, Marinez (19-1, 7 KOs) seemed to control the fight with his jab and movement, which allowed him to avoid most of Romero’s biggest shots.
Afterward, defending his victory, Romero said he was the aggressor and landed the bigger punches. Marinez didn’t buy that, saying the decision was a “pure robbery.”
Robert Garcia, Marinez’s trainer, watched from home after testing positive COVID-19 last month, said the scoring was “just ridiculous.”
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza is exploring the possibility of a rematch after Rolando Romero’s controversial decision over Jackson Marinez.
Jackson Marinez could get his rematch.
Rolando Romero defeated Marinez by a unanimous decision to win the “interim” WBA lightweight title on the David Benavidez-Roamer Alexis Angulo card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
The scores were 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. Many thought Marinez did more than enough to win.
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza, recognizing the controversy, obviously believes a second fight is in order.
“I just spoke with both teams and we are going to study the possibility of a rematch,” Mendoza said, according to BoxingScene.com.
Romero (12-0, 10 KOs) has the reputation of being a big puncher and predicted a knockout. However, Marinez (19-1, 7 KOs) seemed to control the fight with his jab and movement, which allowed him to avoid most of Romero’s biggest shots.
Afterward, defending his victory, Romero said he was the aggressor and landed the bigger punches. Marinez didn’t buy that, saying the decision was a “pure robbery.”
Robert Garcia, Marinez’s trainer, watched from home after testing positive COVID-19 last month, said the scoring was “just ridiculous.”
Trainer Robert Garcia called the judges’ scoring in the Rolando Romero-Jackson Marinez fight Saturday was ‘just ridiculous.’
Rolando Romero was hoping for a breakout performance against Jackson Marinez on the David Benavidez-Roamer Alexis Angulo card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. Instead, he left the Mohegan Sun with a controversial victory.
Marinez seemed to outbox – and arguably outwork — Romero yet lost a unanimous decision and a chance to win the WBA “interim” lightweight title, 116-112 (Glenn Feldman), 118-110 (Frank Lombardi) and 115-113 (Don Trella). Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112 for Marinez.
CompuBox had Marinez outlanding Romero 103-86.
Romero (12-0, 10 KOs) said afterward that he was the aggressor and landed the bigger punches, which might’ve been what the judges saw. However, Marinez (19-1, 7 KOs) doesn’t buy that.
Jackson Marinez (right) thinks he was robbed on Saturday night. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
“That was pure robbery,” he said. “I won the fight. I out-jabbed, out-boxed him. You could tell he didn’t think he won the fight right afterwards. It’s a robbery.”
Robert Garcia, Marinez’s trainer, wasn’t there. He watched on TV from home in Southern California because he tested positive for COVID-19 last month and didn’t want to take any chances. He was stunned when he heard the scores.
“Everybody thinks it was a bad decision,” Garcia told Boxing Junkie on Sunday. “I’ve been getting calls all day, from matchmakers, from promoters who have nothing to do with Marinez. I hope the WBA does something about it. It’s just ridiculous.
“The kid (Marinez) is a hard-working kid. To take his interim title that way was wrong. The fight wasn’t even close. Romero won three, maybe four rounds if you’re generous.”
Garcia said that Marinez was 100 percent prepared for the fight after sparring with Vergil Ortiz and Jose Ramirez and holding his own at Garcia’s gym in Riverside, Calif. And, Garcia said, he followed the game plan.
The Dominican fought behind his jab, threw combinations and moved well to avoid Romero’s power punches.
“Romero was lost after a few rounds,” Garcia said. “You could tell they were concerned. He didn’t’ give up, he’s a fighter, but you could see they were concerned.”
