Eddie Hearn Hopes To Keep Edgar Berlanga, Offering Plant Or Charlo

Promoter Eddie Hearn says he hopes super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) will stay with Matchroom Boxing after he completes his final fight of his contract this Saturday, March 15th against Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1, 16 KOs) in their fight at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

Berlanga’s bout against Gonzalez-Ortiz, 35, is the co-feature on the Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams vs. Patrice Volny card. The event will be shown live on DAZN. According to Manouk Akopyan, Berlanga isn’t happy with him being on the undercard. However, Hearn says he attempted to make a deal with Edgar to fight in the headliner spot in Puerto Rico.

He talked to DAZN about the idea, but they “ran out of time.” So, Hearn reverted to the contract. He says the contract has a provision for a comeback fight on an undercard.

Free Agency

After Berlanga’s comeback fight next Saturday, Hearn says he wants to match him against Caleb Plant or Jermall Charlo next if he stays with his company. It’s unclear whether Edgar would be interested in fighting either of those guys, because he mentioned wanting to fight Jaime Munguia on PPV. Understandably, Edgar wants Jaime.

Berlanga says the contest would be Mexico vs. Puerto Rico, and he believes that a victory over Munguia would open the door to a rematch with Canelo Alvarez. Edgar lost to Canelo by a 12 round unanimous decision on September 14th last year. He was paid a reported $10 million. So, it’s understandable why he’d want a rematch.

Hearn wants ‘The Chosen One’ Berlanga, 27, to stay with Matchroom for the remainder of his career, but it doesn’t look like he will. He’s likely hoping Turki Alalshikh will want to sign him to his new boxing league.

“He is a free agent after this fight. I hope he spends the rest of his career with Matchroom,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to the media about Edgar Berlanga, who will be finishing his contract with his company against Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz on March 15th.

“All we’re doing is honoring our contract instead of not giving him a fight. He’s going to go in and hopefully look good in Orlando, and then we’re going to put him in hopefully with Caleb Plant or [Jermall] Charlo. He’s [Berlanga] a big name, he’s a great fighter and I think he has a huge amount to give to the sport. Get this win and then move into a big fight,” said Hearn.