Edgar Berlanga thinks very highly of himself.
Hamzah Sheeraz, however, doesn’t feel the same.
“I’d give him about a 7,” Sheeraz told
The Ring when asked to give his upcoming opponent a rating out of 10.
In just a few more days,
Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) will get the chance to prove that
Berlanga isn’t as good as everyone, mostly himself, believes.
The super middleweights will throw down
in the 12-round co-main event Saturday night of a DAZN Pay-Per-View show hosted by The Ring at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. Throughout most of the buildup, Brooklyn’s Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) has walked around like a man who’s sure of himself. And while he has given Sheeraz credit for being tough and well-schooled, the 28-year-old contender is convinced that their will be a cakewalk.
An easy and stress-free night is exactly what Berlanga had a few months ago against
Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz.
His fellow Puerto Rican was never expected to be on his level. Berlanga walked right through Gonzalez-Ortiz on his way to a first-round knockout.
Sheeraz, on the other hand, had the fight of his life when last seen.
After battling mostly listlessly against
Carlos Adames and being forced
to settle for a split draw Feb. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sheeraz decided against running things back and moved up in weight. Only time will tell if his sagacious decision was the right nove, but Berlanga can’t wait to get his hands on him.
In boxing, trash talk is the norm. Berlanga, like many, has become a master of it.
Sheeraz isn’t exactly a fan of degrading his opponents and assaulting them with curse-filled tirades. So, on a personal level, the British star doesn’t appreciate Berlanga’s character or how he conducts himself.
“As a person,” Sheeraz said, “he’s not my cup of tea.”