Edgar Berlanga reclaimed his winning momentum on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, pulling himself off the canvas to stop Steven Butler in the seventh round of a high‑octane Zuffa Boxing super‑middleweight bout. The fight marked a pivotal moment for the 26‑year‑old, who had been reeling after a knockout loss to Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz exactly one year earlier.
The early stages of the contest seemed to echo that disappointment when Butler managed to drop Berlanga in the waning seconds of the second round. The knockdown acted like a spark, igniting a fierce counter‑offensive from the Mexican‑American fighter. From that point onward, Berlanga unleashed a relentless barrage of power punches, hammering Butler from all angles and forcing his opponent to cling to survival. He peppered the ring with heavy hooks and crushing straight rights, each strike landing with a thud that seemed to echo through the arena.
Butler, desperate to turn the tide, even attempted an unorthodox MMA‑style takedown, trying to wrest control of the fight’s rhythm. While the maneuver was unusual for a boxing match, it underscored Butler’s determination to disrupt Berlanga’s flow.
The most productive moments of Butler’s comeback came at the close of round three, when he connected with two sizable blows that briefly stunned the crowd and earned a brief respite for the challenger. The back‑and‑forth exchange continued into the fourth and fifth rounds, with both combatants trading heavy shots. Berlanga, however, consistently landed the cleaner, more forceful punches, demonstrating superior timing and precision. By the end of the sixth round, he had built a wall of right hands that culminated in a decisive knock‑down, sending Butler sprawling onto the canvas.
The referee allowed Butler to rise, but the damage was evident. At the start of the seventh round, Butler managed to land a powerful right hand of his own, offering a flicker of resistance and reminding spectators that the fight was still very much alive. That flicker was short‑lived.
Berlanga responded with a devastating combination that left no doubt about his intent. The sequence was a masterclass in power boxing: a crisp jab to set the distance, followed by a thunderous left hook, and finished with a series of crushing right hands that drove Butler back against the ropes.
The on‑lookers could see the referee’s dilemma, and after a brief but intense exchange, the official stepped in to halt the contest, awarding Berlanga a technical knockout victory. The win marked Berlanga’s 24th career triumph and extended his perfect record at Madison Square Garden to six wins and zero losses. It also reignited talk of a possible rematch with Hamzah Sheeraz, the fighter who handed him his most recent knockout defeat. In post‑fight interviews, Berlanga expressed confidence and a hunger for elite competition.
"It shows I’m a true champion and I’m not scared of anyone," he said. "I faced a dangerous, big‑punching opponent to prove I’m back.
We want to fight Hamzah Sheeraz, Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank, Jermell Charlo, Caleb Plant – anyone who can prove we belong with the best." Beyond the main event, the co‑main card featured former super‑lightweight world champion Richardson Hitchins making a bold statement in his inaugural welterweight outing. Hitchins outclassed Ricardo "Magic Man" Salas with a unanimous decision, employing his superior speed, reach, and jab to dominate the Mexican fighter throughout the bout. The judges scored the fight 100‑90 across the board, reflecting Hitchins' clear superiority.
After the victory, Hitchins turned his gaze toward the division’s marquee names, declaring his ambition to test himself against Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, and Ryan Garcia. "I want the best guys in boxing," he proclaimed. "Give me Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia.
They say I’m not ready – I’m 21‑0, no draws, no stains on my record. Come get it if you want it." The night’s action underscored the depth of talent in the super‑middleweight and welterweight divisions, offering fans a glimpse of potential future match‑ups that could shape the sport’s landscape in 2026. With Berlanga’s resurgence and Hitchins’ seamless transition to a higher weight class, the boxing world now has two hungry, unbeaten contenders eager to test themselves against the division’s elite. Their statements hint at a series of blockbuster fights that could soon materialize, promising exciting narratives for fans and lucrative opportunities for promoters.
As the calendar fills with high‑profile bouts, the sport’s schedule for 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most compelling in recent memory, with streaming options like NOW providing contract‑free access to the action and podcasts such as Toe2Toe delivering in‑depth analysis for the dedicated enthusiast.