Edgar Berlanga got back to winning ways on Saturday night. The 27-year-old super middleweight knocked out Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in the first round at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida.
Berlanga came into the fight off the back of a loss to Canelo Alvarez six months ago. He showed up 1.6 pounds overweight and had downplayed his opponent during the fight's promotion. Despite these issues, Berlanga dominated the bout.
The fight lasted less than three minutes. Berlanga scored two knockdowns before the referee stopped the action at 2:31 of the opening round. Gonzalez-Ortiz, who came in with a record of 20 wins, no losses, and one draw, looked outmatched from the start.
After the fight, Berlanga called out several big names in the division.
"Jaime Munguia, Jermell Charlo, Claeb Plant, and Canelo, we're going to have a rematch, 2026. You know Puerto Rico and Mexico are the best."
While Berlanga's performance was impressive, it's worth noting that Gonzalez-Ortiz was an undersized opponent who lacked experience at super middleweight. He had also been out of the sport for a long time due to a prison sentence.
This win has put Berlanga back on track after his high-profile loss to Canelo. He's now looking to line up bigger fights and reignite his pursuit of marquee matchups. Potential opponents like Jaime Munguia, Jermall Charlo, or Caleb Plant would present a much tougher challenge.
Boxing fans will be keen to see what's next for Berlanga. His raw power was on full display in this fight, but he'll need to prove himself against top-level competition to fulfill his potential in the super middleweight division.
