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Ring III: Is Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz a 50 50 matchup? Jim Lampley and Breadman Edwards think so
Article
Nate Marrero
Nate Marrero
RingMagazine.com
Ring III: Is Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz a 50-50 matchup? Jim Lampley and Breadman Edwards think so
Boxing is at its best when two of the best in or around their weight classes square off in fights that can go either way.

That’ll be the case when Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz step inside the squared circle against each other on July 12 as part of The Ring’s “Ring III” pay-per-view show at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, in a WBC super middleweight title eliminator on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

Among those who view Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) vs Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) as a pick-em fight are trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards and Hall of Fame blow-by-blow commentator Jim Lampley. Breadman and Lampley described the fight as 50-50, with neither Berlanga nor Sheeraz having a definitive edge.

“I love 50-50 fights between top fighters in their primes,“ Edwards said to The Ring. “As a natural, purist of boxing, I love those kinds of fights because I feel like you get the best version of each guy. Neither guy has been a world champion yet, so I feel like we’re going to get a lot of effort from both guys. Both guys are going to be willing to do a little bit more.”

“Sheeraz wants to go in and use his height and counterpunching ability against a guy who, in the past, has been a full-on attacker without nuance,” Lampley told The Ring. “Does Berlanga now have other elements in his game to go with his straight-ahead power? If so, he might have advantages against Sheeraz. It's an interesting matchup because we're going to learn more about both of them.”

There’s no shortage of question marks for both fighters heading into the high-stakes clash. Sheeraz, who stands at 6-foot-3, has the height and reach advantage and will be fighting for the first time at 168 and with trainer Andy Lee.

Sheeraz's last fight at 160 resulted in a draw against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames on Feb. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Many believed Adames did more than enough to win by decision.

Sheeraz, 26, can cement himself as a threat in a loaded division with a victory. He's also easily the second-toughest opponent Berlanga will have faced.

Berlanga, of Brooklyn, New York, 28, is the much more proven commodity at 168 and turned in an admirable showing against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez in a unanimous decision loss on Sept. 14. He will have a chance to prove he's turned a corner.

In his lone fight since then, Berlanga knocked out an overmatched Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in the first round in Orlando, Florida, on March 15. That was his 17th stoppage and first since he started his career with 16 straight first-round knockouts.

Regardless of who emerges victorious, the winner will be well-positioned for a big fight the next time they step into the ring.

“Very hard fight for me to predict,” Breadman said. “I feel like that Sheeraz is the more skilled fighter, but I feel like that Berlanga has the physicality and the athletic advantage.”


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