In a dramatic turn of events at a recent New York fight card, Edgar Berlanga faced a humbling knockout defeat against rising British star Hamzah Sheeraz. The fight, marking Berlanga’s debut at super middleweight and on U.S. soil at that weight, saw Sheeraz dominate and finish the bout inside five rounds, dealing a significant setback to the once-vaunted puncher.
The tension between Berlanga and the legendary Oscar De La Hoya added another layer of intrigue to the matchup. Just a week prior, Berlanga had openly taunted De La Hoya during the final press conference, even throwing a wig at him and making bold claims, boasting about his future prospects, including an unlikely heavyweight leap. De La Hoya, never one to back down, fired back with sharp remarks challenging Berlanga’s heritage and authenticity, setting the stage for a personal rivalry.
With the knockout loss, De La Hoya quickly seized the moment to rub in Berlanga’s defeat. In a widely circulated video courtesy of FightHype, De La Hoya donned the same wig Berlanga had thrown at him and celebrated Sheeraz’s triumph, taunting Berlanga’s failed bravado. De La Hoya’s remarks highlighted the irony—Sheeraz achieved what even top champion Canelo Alvarez has not: knocking out Berlanga.
For Berlanga, the path forward is steep. The knockout loss and his over-the-top trash talk before the fight have only deepened the blow to his career and reputation. Whether he can rebuild and bounce back remains an open question, with many speculating he may retreat from the spotlight to recover from this major professional and personal setback.
Meanwhile, Hamzah Sheeraz’s star continues to rise. The humble and likable boxer earned widespread applause for his skillful and impressive performance. Already, influential voices in boxing, including Turki Alalshikh, are calling for Sheeraz to earn a blockbuster fight against the sport’s elite, such as Canelo Alvarez. The young British fighter now stands poised at the brink of stardom, with fans eager to follow his journey and see how far he can ascend in the boxing world.
This clash not only altered the trajectories of two fighters but also reminded fans how quickly fortunes can change in boxing—and how moments of hubris are often met with swift consequences. As the dust settles, the spotlight now shines brightly on Sheeraz’s promising future and Berlanga’s daunting road to redemption.
