Edgar Berlanga defeats Steve Rolls but doesn't impress

It was power punching super middleweight Edgar Berlanga going up against experienced Canadian banger Steve Rolls on Saturday night inside The Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, in Berlanga’s hometown of New York City. The fight was live on ESPN.

The 24-year-old started his pro career scoring 16 straight knockout wins in the 1st round. However, in his last fight leading up to Saturday night, Berlanga overcame a knockdown in the 9th to defeat Argentina’s Marcelo Coceres by unanimous decision. He also suffered a bicep tear in the fight. Five months before that bout, Berlanga went the distance in a decision win over Demond Nicholson. So, while the 1st round, KO, novelty streak was over, he was going to become a better fighter getting in some rounds.

Healthy, healed up and raring to go, after a great training camp out in Las Vegas, Berlanga was ready to put on a show in front of family and friends in the main event.

For Canada’s Steve Rolls, who calls Toronto home, he came into the fight off a KO win in last bout in December, and with 2 wins in his last two bouts, since losing by KO to Gennadiy Golovkin in June 2019. The 37-year-old was hoping his experience, having faced the better opposition, would tilt things in his favor.

In the end, the fight played out pretty much as expected. Fans got to watch their Puerto Rican hero for the full 10, for the 3rd straight time, but didn’t get to see Berlanga’s noted KO power come into play. Experienced veteran Rolls moved well, kept a tight defense but got edged in scores across the board. Berlanga stayed unbeaten but it wasn’t a memorable performance. A good, 10 round, workman-like effort to gain some experience and come back better next time. Berlanga goes to 19-0, 16 KO’s while Steve Rolls moves to 21-2, 12 KO’s.

Under Card

Junior middleweight Xander Zayas (13-0, 9 KO’s) UD 8 Quincy LaVallais (12-3-1, 7 KOs)

Junior welterweight John Bauza (17-0, 7 KO’s) UD 8 Tony Luis (29-5, 10 KO’s)

Welterweight Jahi Tucker (7-0, 4 KO’s) UD 6 Tracey McGruder (6-2, 4 KO’s)

Lightweight Henry Lebron (15-0, 10 KO’s) TKO 7 Jose Ruiz (23-6-3, 16 KO’s)

Junior lightweight Bruce Carrington (3-0, 2 KO’s) KO 5 Yeuri Andujar (5-5-1, 3 KO’s)

Junior welterweight Armani Almestica (5-0, 5 KO’s) TKO 3 Luis Valentin Portalatin (3-4, 1 KO)

Junior welterweight Kelvin Davis (3-0, 2 KO’s) TKO 1 Phillip Carmouche (2-3, 0 KO’s)