Edgar Berlanga hopes his bid to “conquer the world” will start with victory over Hamzah Sheeraz this weekend.
Berlanga and Sheeraz meet in an appetising bout in New York on Saturday, and even before the fight was made, the Englishman was in Berlanga’s sights.
“I put out a hit list a couple months ago of guys that I wanted until I retire,” said Berlanga. “And it’s crazy because the last guy I put on the list, I actually got him first. “And that’s just the start of it, but I’m happy. I’m excited. I want to conquer the world.”
The 168lbs division is one of boxing’s most lively weight classes. It is Sheeraz’s first bout at the weight, while Berlanga has already fought the divisional leader Canelo Alvarez.
But there are also fighters like Christian Mbilli, Diego Pacheco, Armando Resendiz, Caleb Plant, and plenty of others.
“These guys are actually good,” said Berlanga.
It all starts with Sheeraz in New York on Saturday.
“He’s good, I think that he’s basic,” assessed Berlanga. “I think he just has a good jab and he’s gonna look to survive on me. I don’t think he’s gonna come in there and try to win. If he comes trying to win a fight, he’s gonna get knocked out. Either way, even if he tries to survive, he’s gonna get knocked out. But he’ll get knocked out faster trying to win the fight.
“And once he starts feeling these hands on him, the fight is gonna change. Once he feels the jab touching him, ‘boom,’ the fight is gonna change. It’s my job to go in there and just break him down.”
Sheeraz is 26, and boasts a record of 21 wins with a lone draw coming against Carlos Adames in his last fight. That was controversial, with many thinking middleweight champion Adames deserved the verdict. Sheeraz has moved up in weight, while Berlanga is 28 and 23-1 (18 KOs).
Does the New Yorker feel like he’s nearing his prime?
“I feel like a year,” he said. “I feel like another year, I’d say by the middle of 2026.”
