On the night of July 12, 2025, it turned into a nightmare for Edgar Berlanga. After months of intense statements, the renowned boxer was silenced in a resounding manner at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, where the crowd witnessed the defeat at the hands of Hamzah Sheeraz. The fight ended with a brutal blow to the head that sent Berlanga to the canvas and subsequently to an ambulance, in an image that has generated concern in the boxing world.
This devastating defeat not only represented the end of his aspirations for a long-awaited rematch against Canelo Alvarez, but the physical aftermath of the fight was immediately evident. The rawness of the fifth-round knockout left Berlanga in a situation that required urgent medical attention, casting a shadow of unease over the boxer’s immediate future.
A blow with consequences
Immediately after the main event, Edgar Berlanga’s absence from the arena was quickly noticed by fans. While such a humiliating defeat might explain his discretion, the real and more alarming reason came to light when Fight Hub TV captured the 28-year-old boxer leaving the stadium in an ambulance. Berlanga was seen sitting inside the medical unit, accompanied by his girlfriend, Genesis Calderon.
This image became a powerful symbol of the brutality of boxing, confirming that Sheeraz’s final knockout blow to Berlanga’s head in the fifth round had consequences serious enough to require him to be hospitalised.
A painful defeat
Berlanga’s beating was evident from the start. Sheeraz knocked him down twice before delivering the final blow that ended the fight. Given the violence of the impact to the head, Berlanga’s transfer to hospital was considered a necessary measure. While it is not unusual for a boxer to be hospitalised after a brutal fight, fortunately, Berlanga’s situation did not seem so alarming at the time. The boxer looked conscious and even had a conversation with the medical officer before the ambulance left, which alleviated more serious concerns about his condition.
Although Berlanga will physically recover, the blow received after this crushing defeat could have a deeper effect. It is feared that, mentally, this setback will act as a breaking point in his career in the super middleweight division. The brutality of the loss not only closed the door to a rematch against Canelo Alvarez, a dream that Berlanga had cherished and used as a flag after his encounter with the Mexican, but leaves him in a position of uncertainty about his next steps.
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