Super middleweight contender Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga went the distance twice last year following 16 first-round stoppages to begin his pro career. After surgery to repair a torn biceps suffered last October against Marcelo Esteban Coceres, Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) will make his 2022 debut Saturday, March 19 in a 10-rounder against Steve Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
The Brooklyn-born Berlanga is ready to begin a new knockout streak against Rolls, a Canadian veteran who has a pair of knockout wins since a 2019 TKO defeat to Gennadiy Golovkin.
The Night of Young Stars —Berlanga-Rolls, Keyshawn Davis-Esteban Sanchez, and Xander Zayas-Quincy LaVallais — will be broadcast live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $51 are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.
This is what Berlanga had to say at his Las Vegas training camp.
“I think 2022 is going to be a big year for me, and I can’t wait to kick it off in my first main event in New York. I learned a lot from my last fight, and I’ve been working really hard on correcting my mistakes. After my surgery, I chose to do my rehab out here in Las Vegas so I could not only do physical therapy with the best team in the business, but also focus 100 percent on boxing. The fans are going to see big things from me this year beginning March 19.”
“Having my first main event at home is amazing. I’m ready to show everyone what I’m made of. I want people to see that I can sell out an arena. I don’t need to have a title or a big-name opponent to sell tickets. I have a fanbase, and everyone is going to see that on March 19.”
“I’m proud to represent New York City and Puerto Rico. I want to be the next great Puerto Rican champion. My first memories of boxing are watching Tito Trinidad fight as a little kid, and I want to give the Puerto Rican people someone that they can be proud of.”
Credit: Top Rank
