Edgar Berlanga Takes Charge to Promote Struggling July 12th DAZN PPV in Queens, NY

Edgar Berlanga is seemingly the only one promoting next month’s July 12th event at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. The tickets aren’t selling well. So, Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) is stepping up, giving interviews, and posting on social media to encourage fans to purchase tickets,

Berlanga is facing Hamzah Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) in the 12-round main event on DAZN PPV at super middleweight. It’s an important fight for both, as the winner will be in a position to get a shot at Canelo Alvarez.

Porter Picks Sheeraz Upset

“I got Sheeraz over Berlanga. I got Shakur over Zepeda,” said Shawn Porter to AB Boxing News.

If Porter is right, there’s going to be a lot of shocked fans, because many of them expect Berlanga to beat the former middleweight Sheeraz. This is his first fight at 168, and he’s facing one of the biggest punchers in Berlanga. Going up against this guy in Hamzah’s first fight in the division is risky. Obviously, he wouldn’t take it if it didn’t pay so well.

Air Pistol Stunt Impact

“I think Edar Berlanga woke up a beast inside Hamzah Sheeraz that he didn’t know if it was there or not,” said Greg Hackett to YSM Sports Media. “When he pulled out the air pistol, it got real because that’s a crazy gesture. He put it to his [Sheeraz] head. In these days and time, I don’t know what it means over there [UK], but it means something over here.”

There is still plenty of time before next month’s event on July 12th. Maybe Sheeraz will do something to rile Berlanga up. I doubt it because that’s not Sheeraz’s style, but he needs to. They’ve got to sell these tickets for the event because Ticketmaster shows that very few seats have been sold for the 14,053-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.

“With that,  Hamzah Sheeraz is going to pull up on a different type of mission. The mission of going in there looking for a knockout could get him knocked out against Edgar Berlanga. He is a puncher,” said Hackett. “You can’t disrespect his power, but we don’t know what it looks like to try to step on Edgar Berlanga.”

Berlanga’s Aggressive Promotion

Sheeraz didn’t look angry when Berlanga was pretending to shoot him with an air pistol during their kickoff press conference. He looked like he knew Edgar was acting and selling the fight. He didn’t personalize it the way some fighters would. He knew that this is how Berlanga is selling the fight. It’s his hometown. Berlanga can’t count on the co-feature fighters, Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda. Neither of them is a good communicator.

“He’s [Sheeraz] is kind of big, and with him 6’3″ or 6’4″ putting that kind of pressure on Edgar Berlanga, I don’t know. Edgar Berlanga doesn’t fight like Carlos Adames, and he’s a lot bigger than him. So, he’s a bigger target for Sheeraz. He’s even taller. So, it’s going to be an easier target for Sheeraz. If Sheeraz’s legs aren’t looking good that night, Edgar might bully. It could go either way,” said Hackett.

We know that both of these guys have the power to end it at a moment’s notice. Sheeraz is moving up eight pounds from 160, but he was such a good puncher at middleweight, he should be just as dangerous at 168 against Berlanga. The question is, can Sheeraz make it out of the early rounds to land his bombs because that’s when Edgar is most dangerous?