BoxRec

Edgar Berlanga-Steve Rolls Set For March 19 At Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater

Edgar Berlanga’s recovery from biceps surgery has gone as planned, which will allow the unbeaten super middleweight to return to the ring as expected early in the spring.

Boxing Scene has learned that a deal has been finalized for Berlanga to box Steve Rolls in a main event ESPN will televise March 19 from Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York. Toronto’s Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) has been Berlanga’s targeted opponent since before the Brooklyn-bred banger’s subpar performance against Marcelo Coceres on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder undercard October 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) suffered a torn left biceps during the third round of the Coceres contest. Though that injury obviously hindered him offensively, Argentina’s Coceres (30-3-1, 16 KOs) also exposed some of Berlanga’s defensive flaws by landing numerous flush punches on him.

In the ninth round, the gritty Cocerces connected with a counter right hand that knocked an off-balance Berlanga to the canvas for the first time as a pro.

Berlanga seemed more angry than hurt once Coceres knocked him flat on his back. The prideful Puerto Rican fighter quickly regained control of their 10-rounder and defeated Coceres by the same score, 96-93, on the cards of judges Eric Cheek, Patricia Morse Jarman and Ricardo Ocasio.

His victory over Coceres marked a second straight fight in which Berlanga went the distance. The 24-year-old Berlanga knocked out each of his first 16 pro opponents in the first round.

The 37-year-old Rolls, meanwhile, has lost only to Gennadiy Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs). The hard-hitting IBF/IBO middleweight champion knocked out Rolls in the fourth round of their fight in June 2019 at Madison Square Garden.

Rolls most recently dominated Philadelphia’s Christopher Brooker (16-9, 6 KOs) on his way to a ninth-round, technical-knockout victory December 17 at Bell Centre in Montreal.

If Berlanga beats Rolls, he likely will headline another card June 11 at Madison Square Garden, on the eve of the annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan.

Let's see if he gets back on another Kayo streak. Rolls while never a huge threat is a bit past it these days.

Steve rolls is an acceptable come back tune up if he is going to headline a card in June. Hope he gets though it unscathed.

Edgar Barlenga embodies all that is wrong with boxing. This fellow has been hyped to the moon and back by his promoters and team and yet he got beat by the unknown Argentinian and he would also get beat by dozens of other fighters at his weightclass but yet the media continues to hype the fool.

The fellow is pathetic.

I've not seen Rolls since his fight with Golovkin, but considering Berlanga's last fight, I'd imagine Rolls at 100% could win this.

this is a decent fight tbh, the great steve rolls may have been obliterated by ggg, but given how eddy looked last fight hardly a stretch to imagine he woulda got the same fate. \

he's never ko'd anyone as good as the rollercoaster lets be honest

You dont learn much from banging people out in a round, although in this case i think it was worth it, got him some hype... But now the streak is over they need to match him at about this levle and actualy tell him to box. Fight of a stiff jab, and box at a pace you can maintain for 12 rounds.... he is always going to be a decent brawler, but not going to be good enough at sluging to slug with elite boxers.

Berlanga vs Mung is an absolute dream match up in about 2 or 3 years.

Boxers Edgar Berlanga, Steve Rolls agree to super middleweight fight on March 19, sources say

Edgar Berlanga and Steve Rolls have agreed to terms for a super middleweight fight on March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

The bout will be Berlanga's first since he tore his left biceps in Round 3 of his victory over Marcelo Esteban Coceres in October. Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) struggled at times in the fight and was even floored in Round 9, the first knockdown of his career.

Following surgery, the 24-year-old rehabbed at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas in preparation for his first headline bout on ESPN. Berlanga, a native of Brooklyn, New York, scored 16 first-round KOs in his first 16 fights.

His April decision win over Demond Nicholson, a fight in which he scored four knockdowns, was the first time he was extended past the opening round.

Before the injury, the bout with Rolls had been eyed as the Dec. 11 co-feature to the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Richard Commey fight.

Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs), a 37-year-old Canadian, is best known for his fourth-round KO loss to Gennadiy Golovkin in 2019. He has competed just twice since then, both wins inside the distance.

i like edgar got a harsh time in his last fights cause he never ko his oppo, but he fought well i thought and it was good for him to get the rounds experience iam tipping him for glory i like him

brilo33 wrote: ↑14 Jan 2022, 17:03 i like edgar got a harsh time in his last fights cause he never ko his oppo, but he fought well i thought and it was good for him to get the rounds experience iam tipping him for glory i like him

That’s what happens when you get hyped with 100% KO record. Then they expect it all the time..

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑14 Jan 2022, 17:18

brilo33 wrote: ↑14 Jan 2022, 17:03 i like edgar got a harsh time in his last fights cause he never ko his oppo, but he fought well i thought and it was good for him to get the rounds experience iam tipping him for glory i like him

That’s what happens when you get hyped with 100% KO record. Then they expect it all the time..

get what your saying, but i dont agree with that at that at this weight your never going to be banging fighters out at the top, so i think the rds were good for him i thought boxed jabbed ok in them

Press Release| Edgar Berlanga vs. Steve Rolls Officially Announced For March 19

Three future fistic superstars are set to unite under the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Brooklyn-born super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will defend his NABO belt against crafty Canadian Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, whose family hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, makes his main event debut in his stiffest test to date.

In the junior middleweight co-feature, 19-year-old Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas will fight in his first scheduled eight-rounder against Louisiana-born spoiler Quincy “Chico” LaVallais.

The eight-round televised opener will see the return of lightweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis against Mexican veteran Esteban Sanchez.

Berlanga-Rolls, Zayas-LaVallais and Davis-Sanchez will air live on ESPN and 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 go on sale Friday, Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

“Edgar, Xander and Keyshawn are future pound-for-pound superstars, and it will be a special evening in front of a sold-out New York City crowd,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “All three are in there with the toughest fights of their respective careers, but I expect them to pass with flying colors.”

Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) took the boxing world by storm with 16 straight first-round knockouts to open his pro career. He went the distance twice in 2021, opening his campaign in April by knocking down Demond Nicholson four times in eight rounds in an ESPN-televised rout. Berlanga returned on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III card in October, defeating Marcelo Esteban Coceres via 10-round unanimous decision despite suffering a torn biceps in the third round and the first knockdown of his career in the ninth.

Berlanga said, “I’m so excited to fight in my first main event in my hometown. It’s a dream come true for a fighter representing New York City and Puerto Rico. I can’t wait to show the world what I’m truly about. We are going to blow the roof off the Hulu Theater, so grab your tickets early and get your popcorn ready for this performance.”

Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs), a 37-year-old from Toronto, is an 11-year pro who was an undefeated middleweight contender before moving up in weight. In June 2019, he challenged pound-for-pound stalwart Gennadiy Golovkin at Madison Square Garden and found some success in the second round before being stopped in the fourth. Rolls has tallied two wins since the Golovkin bout, most recently knocking out Christopher Brooker in the ninth round last month on the Artur Beterbiev-Marcus Browne undercard in Montreal.

Rolls said, “I'm happy to be back headlining at Madison Square Garden. Training camp has been going well, and I feel very strong with nothing but war on my mind. Berlanga has power, but I'll be ready for whatever he brings. I’m looking forward to March 19. I'll see you then.”

Zayas (12-0, 9 KOs) had a breakthrough 2021, going 6-0 with four knockouts while being mentioned prominently in Prospect of the Year debates. He made his Madison Square Garden debut last December and finished his 2021 campaign by knocking out Alessio Mastronunzio in the first round. He steps up against LaVallais (12-2-1, 7 KOs), who notched a December 2020 upset over Clay Collard at the MGM Grand Bubble. LaVallais, who is 2-2 since the Collard victory, has never been knocked out.

Zayas said, "It's an honor to fight again at Madison Square Garden, where I know my Puerto Rican people will come out to show their support. 2021 was a great year, but I'm looking forward to an even bigger 2022. Quincy LaVallais is a solid veteran, so I can't overlook him. I want to make a major statement on March 19."

Davis (4-0, 3 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, won three bouts in the first five months of 2021 before journeying to Tokyo and earning a silver medal. He then signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank and improved to 4-0 with a second-round stoppage over Jose Zaragoza on December 11. Davis makes his 2022 debut against Sanchez (18-1, 8 KOs), a 23-year-old from Ensenada, Mexico, who has won two straight bouts and will be making his American debut.

Davis said, “I put on a show at Madison Square Garden in December, and I’m going to do it again. Esteban Sanchez is supposed to be my hardest fight as a pro, but it’s going to be easy work. The Davis Brothers are coming to represent Norfolk and leave no doubt that we are the future of boxing.”

Undercard action will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and is scheduled to include a host of undefeated talents, including Puerto Rican junior welterweight John “El Terrible” Bauza (16-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder, welterweight and Berlanga’s New York City stablemate Pablo “Pretty Boy” Valdez (6-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round attraction, Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder, and a four-rounder featuring junior welterweight Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs).

Press Release

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.”

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑21 Jan 2022, 06:43 Press Release| Edgar Berlanga vs. Steve Rolls Officially Announced For March 19

Three future fistic superstars are set to unite under the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Brooklyn-born super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will defend his NABO belt against crafty Canadian Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, whose family hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, makes his main event debut in his stiffest test to date.

Got to watch out for those crafty Canadians

Cutman Scabbers wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 06:57

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑21 Jan 2022, 06:43 Press Release| Edgar Berlanga vs. Steve Rolls Officially Announced For March 19

Three future fistic superstars are set to unite under the Madison Square Garden spotlight.

Brooklyn-born super middleweight sensation Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga will defend his NABO belt against crafty Canadian Steve Rolls in the 10-round main event Saturday, March 19 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Berlanga, whose family hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, makes his main event debut in his stiffest test to date.

Got to watch out for those crafty Canadians

Press Release | Edgar Berlanga Details Training Camp, Says Bicep is Now 100%

Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga is currently completing his final week of fight preparation in his new training locale. After choosing to do his physical therapy in Las Vegas following bicep surgery, Berlanga and his team made the decision to remain in the boxing capitol of the world for their training camp ahead of his March 19 fight.

The choice to move his training camp base west has paid off for Berlanga as he prepares for his first main event, which will take place in his New York hometown. Throughout camp, he has enjoyed the easy access to all of the training facilities he and his team need to prepare for his March showdown with Steve Rolls at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Las Vegas and its mild winter climate have provided excellent training and preparation opportunities for Berlanga ranging from the UFC Performance Institute to the many mountain areas and outdoor spaces for running.

“I came out here to Vegas to get a different training environment and take everything to the next level, but also to do physical therapy on my bicep, which I tore in my last fight. The UFC PI is amazing, the physical therapy is just different. They’ve worked very well on my bicep and they got it back to 100 percent so I’m happy,” Berlanga said.

The 24-year-old learned a lot from his last outing on October 9, the toughest of his five-year professional career. Following a hard-fought victory in his 18th pro fight, Berlanga underwent surgery to repair a left bicep tear on October 20. He traveled to Las Vegas in November to begin physical therapy on his left arm and has been training in Sin City since that time.

In addition to the high-level facilities, Berlanga has benefitted from training alongside many elite fighters, some of whom he’s known since he was a young amateur.

“I love the environment here, being with top fighters such as Jared Anderson, Troy Isley, Duke Ragan, Kenneth Sims and Bruce Carrington (who will also compete on the March 19 card). These are the type of fighters and the gym environment I want to be around as I’m progressing in my career. If you’re doing something wrong, you’ve got your brothers around to tell you. They could be in the ring sparring, and I can pick up some of the things that they are doing," he said.

Berlanga has focused in on his boxing skills and critical technical elements over the past few months in Las Vegas. Although he has become best known for the 16 first round knockout streak that opened his professional career, Berlanga plans to showcase boxing skill and talent many fans have not previously seen from him.

“I’ve been working on my boxing ability and everything I’ve been doing all my life. I’m just bringing it back and not relying on power anymore because the power is there. I’m going back to my roots and my boxing ability,” he said.

Berlanga and his team will return home to New York early in fight week to finalize preparations for his 2022 debut. The event will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on March 19. Tickets for the stacked card of young talent are going quickly and a full house is expected for the Brooklyn-born boxer’s first main event.

Fight Week!!

Undercard Press Release

Featherweight prospect Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the latest standout boxer to come from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, makes his New York City debut this Saturday, March 19 in a six-rounder against Yeuri Andujar at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Carrington-Andujar, which will be contested at junior lightweight, highlights undercard action before the 10-round super middleweight main event featuring Brooklyn’s Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga against Steve Rolls.

Berlanga-Rolls, an eight-round junior middleweight bout between Xander Zayas and Quincy LaVallais, and unbeaten junior welterweight John Bauza in an eight-rounder versus Tony Luis will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Carrington-Andujar and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT.

Carrington (2-0, 1 KO) had a nearly decade-long run as one of Team USA’s star amateurs, including a victory in the 125-pound division of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He turned pro last October on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard and made his Top Rank debut in January with a stunning second-round stoppage over Steven Brown. Andujar (5-4-1, 3 KOs), from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, is coming off a six-round draw last December against Pablo Cruz (22-4 at the time).

In other undercard action streaming on ESPN+:

Long Island-born welterweight sensation Jahi Tucker (6-0, 4 KOs), a 19-year-old power puncher, hopes to increase his knockout streak to three when he battles Tracey McGruder (6-1, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder. The explosive Tucker opened eyes in January with his second-round blitzing of the normally durable Akeem Black.

Rising Puerto Rican junior lightweight Henry “Moncho” Lebron (14-0, 9 KOs) steps up in class against Honduran veteran Josec Ruiz (23-5-3, 16 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Ruiz, a 10-year pro, has never been knocked out.

Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KOs), the eldest of the fighting Davis Brothers from Norfolk, Virginia, will face Phillip Carmouche (2-2) in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Davis made his Top Rank debut last December at Madison Square Garden and notched a second-round stoppage.

Lightweight prospect Armani Almestica (4-0, 4 KOs), a 20-year-old from Orlando, Florida, returns in a six-round lightweight battle against Eliseo Villalobos (2-2, 1 KO). As an amateur, Almestica was a force, winning gold at the 2017 USA Junior Olympics and 2018 USA Youth National Championships.

weigh-in results

caught the weigh in, not much to say. both looked fine. berlanga defo isnt 3 inches taller like listed though. maybe an inch

rollercoaster is a decent enough fight for eddy at this stage. clearly he has work to do