Written by: Sean Crose
Edgar Berlanga, who last faced off against the legendary Canelo Alvarez, returned to the ring on Saturday night, facing an opponent who didn’t quite measure up to his caliber. Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz isn’t necessarily a bad boxer, but it was clear his conditioning could have been better. With Berlanga’s proven skill set, some questioned the point of this bout. Regardless, Berlanga effortlessly handled the fight in Orlando, as seen live on DAZN.
Once the match kicked off, Berlanga wasted no time asserting his dominance, knocking Gonzalez-Ortiz to the canvas twice. While Gonzalez-Ortiz managed to get back on his feet, Berlanga unleashed a barrage of punches that led the referee to call the fight. The entire spectacle wrapped up in under a round. Although the outcome wasn’t surprising, Berlanga’s ability to maintain his power after being out of the ring is commendable. Interestingly, he came in a pound over the weight limit at Friday’s weigh-in, but that seemed irrelevant given the ease of his win.
After the fight, Berlanga spoke to IFL TV, expressing confidence in his performance. “I was supposed to do that,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Got him out of there early. Now, I’m moving on to the next one.” He didn’t shy away from naming high-profile potential opponents, confidently declaring that he plans to do the same to notable fighters like Plant, Munguia, and Charlo. His performance on Saturday certainly backed up his words, but the real test will be against these more challenging adversaries.
Despite being a free agent, Berlanga left the door open for future collaborations with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, signaling a willingness to work together again if Hearn can line up the right fights. Berlanga remains a hot commodity, given his ability to draw an audience. In today’s competitive boxing scene, not only is he ready to entertain in the ring, but he’s also eager to promote a fight, which is crucial for a boxer’s success today.
