Edgar Berlanga wasted no time making a statement in his first fight since his high-profile loss to Canelo Alvarez six months ago. Returning to the ring Saturday night, Berlanga delivered an emphatic first-round technical knockout against previously undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz on the Austin “Ammo” Williams-Patrice Volny undercard at Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida.
Facing questions about his focus after coming in 1.6 pounds overweight and downplaying his opponent during the fight’s promotion, Berlanga silenced doubters with a devastating performance. He needed less than three minutes to overwhelm Gonzalez-Ortiz, who was outmatched from the opening bell. Berlanga’s power was on full display as he knocked Gonzalez-Ortiz down twice before the referee halted the action at 2:31 of the opening round.
It is pretty clear that he knows what he wants to do next. “Jaime Munguia, Jermell Charlo, Claeb Plant, and Canelo, we’re going to have a rematch, 2026,” he said after his victory. “You know Puerto Rico and Mexico are the best,” he added, as he wants another shot at the Mexican boxer.
Looking forward to his next bout
The win marked a sharp rebound for the 27-year-old super middleweight and reignited his pursuit of marquee matchups. Berlanga has set his sights on facing former world champions Jaime Munguia, Jermall Charlo, or Caleb Plant. However, each of these potential bouts presents a far more significant challenge than Gonzalez-Ortiz.
Jonathan stepped into the ring with a respectable 20-0-1 record but was undersized and lacked experience at the super middleweight level. Gonzalez-Ortiz’s long hiatus from the sport due to a prison sentence also raised questions about his readiness for a fight of this magnitude.
Berlanga’s victory underscores his ability to dominate opponents with his raw power, but his focus now turns to securing a high-profile fight that will test him at the elite level. With his confidence restored and his future wide open, boxing fans eagerly await the next chapter in Berlanga’s career.
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