Caleb Plant said last Saturday night that Edgar Berlanga “doesn’t want to fight me.” He says they sent a contract to Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs), but there’s been no response.
(Credit: Melanie Pizano/Matchroom)
Eddie Hearn of Matchroom hoped to put a fight together between Berlanga and WBA interim super middleweight champion Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) because it would interest fans. However, Berlanga’s top two choices are Jaime Munguia and Jermall Charlo.
“The Bag” Factor
Edgar is thinking about “the bag” he can get in a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico PPV fight against Munguia. If Berlanga can beat the former WBO 154-lb champion Munguia, fighting Jermall (33-0, 22 KOs) would also interest fans.
Charlo used to be a popular fighter before he stopped fighting in 2021. Younger fans don’t know who he is, but enough older ones are willing to purchase a fight between him and Berlanga for it to do decent numbers on PPV or on one of the Riyadh Season events if the Saudis choose to sign him to a contract.
Berlanga is good for creating interest in his fights, but he’s incapable of beating A-level fighters. He can do well as long as he’s matched against beatable fighters. Jermall, 35, and Munguia are guys that Edgar might do well against. Plant wouldn’t be a good choice because he’s too skilled.
Plant is finding out the hard way that Berlanga is taking the path of least resistance to try and hustle a rematch with Canelo without getting beat.
Contract Silence
“No, but we sent him the contract,” said Caleb Plant last Saturday night to the media when asked if Edgar Berlanga is his next fight. Plant gave the interviewer an exasperated look when he was asked if Berlanga signed the contract tof ight him.
“We’re about to see in a day or two,” said Caleb when asked if Berlanga responded to the contract offer. “Just stay tuned, but it ain’t going to be him. He don’t want to fight me. If he a free agent? Is he free to go where he wants? If he free to fight whoever he wants? Here I am. So, there you go. Spank his a**,” said Plant on how he beats Berlanga.
Plant shouldn’t be surprised that Berlanga isn’t going to fight him because he mentioned his name last in rattling off his three-fighter hit list following his first-round knockout win over the 35-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz on March 15th at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. When Berlanga, 27, was interviewed in the dressing room, he repeatedly said, “F*** Plant,” meaning he doesn’t wish to fight him.
Berlanga, 27, bounced back from his one-sided 12-round unanimous decision loss to Canelo Alvarez on September 14th by knocking out Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in the first round on March 15th. He’s currently ranked #3 WBO and wants to get a quick rematch with Canelo so he can have another big payday.
Berlanga thinks beating Munguia and Charlo would get him the second fight against Alvarez. Depending on how risk-averse Canelo is with his glorified retirement tour, it might take more than that. There are many people for him to fight, but many of them are risky matches.
Last Updated on 03/30/2025
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