Edgar Berlanga ended his knockout dry spell after three years with an impressive victory on Saturday night. In the sixth round at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, Berlanga landed a decisive overhand right that sent the previously undefeated Irishman Padraig McCrory to the canvas, leading to a corner stoppage at 2:44, securing Berlanga’s win by technical knockout.
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) had not secured a knockout victory since December 2020, breaking his streak of 16 consecutive first-round knockouts. McCrory (18-1, 9 KOs) from Belfast, Northern Ireland, fought outside Europe for the first time in his seven-year career.
This victory has sparked talks of a potential lucrative bout between Berlanga, 26, and undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Promoter Eddie Hearn sees this win as a significant step toward setting up the much-anticipated fight, possibly scheduled for May or September.
To drum up support for the potential matchup, Berlanga engaged with the crowd in Orlando, a city with a sizable Puerto Rican community, gauging their interest in seeing him face Alvarez in the ring.
Despite dominating most of the fight, Berlanga exhibited moments of frustration, even resorting to a deliberate elbow strike in the third round. However, his control of the bout remained evident as he continued to land precise blows on McCrory, ultimately leading to the decisive sixth-round finish.
Down goes McCrory and that’s it 🔥🔥🔥
6th round KO💣#berlangamacrory | @DAZN Boxing pic.com/ywvdpFoSE9
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 25, 2024
In another match, Cuba’s 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz secured his second professional victory by outpointing Brian Zamarripa in a 10-round lightweight brawl. Cruz (3 wins, 0 losses, 2 KOs) displayed superior skills against Zamarripa (14-3, 5 KOs), landing significant punches with precision throughout the bout.
The fight showcased Cruz’s dominance as he controlled the pace and direction of the match, inflicting damage on Zamarripa, who fought outside Mexico for the first time. Cruz was relentless in his attack, leading to a unanimous decision victory with scores of 100-90 on all three judges’ cards.
Despite a valiant effort from Zamarripa, Cruz’s accuracy and aggression proved overwhelming, tallying 46 landed punches compared to Zamarripa’s meager 20% connect rate. Cruz’s efficient boxing style and control of the fight secured his well-deserved win.
Shakram Giyasov claimed victory over former title challenger Pablo Cesar Cano in an 11-round technical decision, with Giyasov outscoring Cano 109-99 on all judges’ cards. The fight was halted after the 11th round when Cano suffered a leg injury.
Despite a knockdown in the third round, Giyasov (15-0, 9 KOs) maintained his composure and controlled the pace of the match against Cano (25-9-1, 25 KOs). Giyasov’s counter-punching strategy paid off, solidifying his status as the WBA welterweight number one contender.
