Saturday, March 19th, 6 PM PST – ESPN, Undercard prior on ESPN+

Super middleweight Edgar Berlanga has been training in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Top Rank Gym with Kay Koroma and Mickey Bey, as he is set to take on former Gennady Golovkin opponent, Steve Rolls in a ten-round decision.

Berlanga is the biggest hope for New York boxing currently, and if he doesn’t take much damage, Berlanga could return to MSG for the Puerto Rico Day Parade card that Miguel Cotto used to fight on. Berlanga is a big puncher, who has a lot of friends in the entertainment industry, i.e. Tracy Morgan, Fat Joe, amongst others, and looks to be a lock for next level success, but the biggest corrupter of all is success at a young age. With a lot of KOs and an exciting style, Berlanga now has a ton of temptation that a lot of fighters don’t have. 

Berlanga’s last two fights have been a departure for from his historic first-round KO streak. Berlanga was taken out of the first round by Demond Nicholson, and dropped by Marcelo Esteban Coceres. For Berlanga, he is now getting the biggest views of his career, but has hit a rough patch in terms of performances not matching the early high standards he set. Moving away from his home of New York for camp looks to be the switch the team made, in order to go to the next level.

Rolls is best known as a guy that lost Golovkin, and is a guy who only has fought limited competition at 168 lbs., as he has bounced between middleweight and super middleweight for his career on local shows. Rolls had success against Golovkin early, but in all honesty, Golovkin, never seemed to fear the punches coming back

This should be a moment for Berlanga to shine. 

undercard

154 lbs. stud Xander Zayas will face Quincy LaVallais in an eight-round bout in the co-feature. Zayas will eventually run Madison Square Garden as a future star of Top Rank Inc., as Zayas is emerging to be a big puncher like Vergil Ortiz who is under the Top Rank roster. LaVallais is the guy who ended the saga of Clay Collard on Top Rank, and moves a lot. This will be an interesting assessment of where Zayas is at, as I have feeling Zayas wants to get into the title picture by the end of the year, and wants a higher level of competition. 

A big statement if Zayas were to get a dominant win over a veteran like LaVallais. 

140 lbs. John Bauza is filling in for Keyshawn Davis, who pulled out last week, as he will face the always tough spoiler Tony Luis in the opening eight-round bout. Bauza is a big puncher, who is coming into his own as a pro. Bauza, Zayas and Berlanga are all Puerto Rican as well, so if all three have good performances that would be a huge boast for all moving forward.

ESPN+ Card

I believe we have a strong chance of seeing Jahi Tucker as a prospect of the year-type fighter by years end, and his next bout, against Tracey McGurder, who is yet another hard fight for the young fighter. McGurder from upstate New York, Rochester, to be exact is a one loss fighter, who will be making his MSG debut as well. Tucker has a lot of the traits that Teofimo Lopez had prior to his breakout success – Tucker keeps going viral on social media. 

Henry Lebron, an emerging Puerto Rican Top Rank fighter will face Josec Ruiz in an eight-rounder.

The brother of Keyshawn Davis, Kelvin Davis will be on the undercard facing Phillip Carmouche in a 140 lbs. four-round bout.

New York’s own, Bruce Carrington will be in-action against Arturo de Isla, in a six-round, featherweight bout. Carrington told ITRBoxing.com that he plans on fighting in six-round fights for some time, and we look to see how his training in Las Vegas, Nevada, amongst a slew of elite professionals 

A fighter I always found entertaining, because of his personality and fighting style Armani Almestica, who could be a cross between Adrien Broker and Hector Camacho will fight on the undercard. 

Vergil Ortiz Out

Saturday, March 19th, 6 PM PST – DAZN, Undercard 3:05 PM PST

Well this sucks. 

On Monday it was announced Vergil Ortiz had a very serious medical condition called rhabdomyolysis, that can be fatal, and forced him to withdraw from his bout with Michael McKinson. 

Ortiz is an all-action, relentless pressure fighter best described as an ox of a man, who has a fighting-style all of himself. The loss of Ortiz on the card doesn’t just suck in the short term, it hurts the sport as he is a young star, emerging and getting people excited whenever he fights. For him to not be fighting means this is very serious.

McKinson, who has a strong following on YouTube – so strong people get mad at me for questioning if he can win with insults about my bad hairline and funny voice. McKinson is in a hard place. He doesn’t punch hard given his record, but is a true spoiler, who now gets to showcase his talents against Jesus Perez in the co-main event.

New Main Event

Welterweight Alexis Rocha will face Blair Cobbs in a fight that should have implications to the top of the card as both fighters are signed to Golden Boy Promotions, as the two will now headline a major card with implications to the top of the division. Rocha is a plodder, come-forward Mexican-American fighter with more skill than you’d think for his aggressive fighting style, and Cobbs is a zany pro wrestling like character, who has a lot of untraditional movements mostly spurred by a hop-in, hop-out style. Cobbs at media day called out everyone from “Boots” Ennis to Vergil Ortiz, so him winning would be good here since he is a good talker, and could sell a big fight. 

The bout is a true 50-50, Rocha is more consistent in what he does, but Cobbs is more dynamic, yet flawed, and has to stay composed to win this type of fight.

Undercard.

Bektemir “Bek The Bully” Melikuziev will face David Zegarra in his return after being brutally KO’ed by Gabriel Rosado at light heavyweight

Welterweight Evan Sanchez, a central California stud will return against Alejandro Munera. Sanchez has a chance to be a truly great fighter.

Armenian Azat Hovhannisyan will do what he does, exchange a lot of punches and make it a hard night for Daniel Rosas in a 130 lbs., eight-round fight

Shoutout Team NoXcuses and Lamont Roach Sr., as Alex Rincon is working his way towards a world title shot and next he will face Luis Sanchez in a 154 lbs bout. Rincon, who also has a brother has a solid fanbase.

Bantamweight John “Scrappy” Ramirez, who is signed to the same management team as “Zurdo” Ramirez, will be focused on Roberto Pucheta. Ramirez, who appears to be without a promoter officially will be looking to put on a good show, as he fits the bill for a fighter, Golden Boy likes to promote, an L.A. Mexican from the Southern California area. 

Olympic Trials qualifier, lightweight Dalis Kaleiopu will face Manuel Lara in a four-rounder. Kaleiopu has been very inactive since turning pro.

Ramla Ali, who has previously fought on Matchroom cards will face Shelly Barnett in a 122 lbs. fighter. Ali is an amateur fighter who is converting to a pro, but the conversion is very slow so far. 

Club Shows

Estelle Mossely, the former wife of Tony Yoka, will face Yanina del Carmen Lescano in ten-round main event on a Probellum card.

Popular action fighter Jono Carroll faces Serif Gurdijeljac in a lightweight bout. You can’t help, but think the man below Carroll, O’Shaquie Foster, might one day be an opponent of his. 

O’Shaquie Foster  will face Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov in a WBC junior lightweight eliminator, meaning if Foster wins he will get a world shot, and as a heavily avoided fighter – this is major for him. Yaqubov, who I’d lie if I told you I’d seen him fight before is very close in the betting lines, meaning this is a very exciting bout that is flying under the radar. 

2020 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov will fight Kamil Sokolowski in a eight-round bout. It is looking like Jalolov is on a fast track.

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Sunny Edwards, a likable world champion who has built a following on social media faces Muhammad Waseem, for his IBF flyweight title.

Regis Prograis will return at 140 lbs as he faces Tyrone McKenna. I hope after this fight we see Prograis one of the best fighters in the division face someone with generational type impacts on the sport, and division.

Olympian Peter McGrail, who started his career with Matchroom will face Alexandru Ionita in six-round featherweight bout. McGrail was bounced in the first round of the Olympics, but is touted as a fun and exciting pure boxer.

Former world champion TJ Doheny will do battle with spoiler Cesar Juarez in a ten-round featherweight bout, that is also a good payday for two fighters who gave a lot to the sport.

One of my favorite 140 lbs prospects in Hovhannes Bachkov, a 2020 Olympian is already a 10-round fighter, and facing Cristian Coria. It’d be fun to see him face Prograis in the near future

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Tonight in the L.A. area, Cem Kilic will face veteran of the sport, Andrew Hernandez in an eight-round super middleweight bout. The winner could possibly get a ShoBox-type bout in the future.

Wildcard’s Marco Deckmann will face Victor Fonseca in a six-round light heavyweight bout.

The son of Ray Corona, Adrian Corona will be in action against Joe Perez in 130 lbs fight as well.

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David Avanesyan will put his European welterweight title on the line against Oskari Metz. Hopefully we see Avanesyan in with a top-ten opponent in his next bout. An all-action guy, who only the best in the world beat, and YOU HAVE TO HAVE POWER to keep him honest.

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Jose “Chon” Zepeda will take a tune-up fight against Francisco Perez before more than likely facing Jose Ramirez for the WBC 140 lbs title which should be vacated any day now. 

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Jacob Ng, a guy I see having a big Australian fight in the future with George Kambosos Jnr. will take on Billy Dib in a regional lightweight bout.

MMA in 500 Words Or Less

Saturday, March 19th, 1 PM PST – ESPN+ | Full Card

What a difference in card quality when the UFC has to sell tickets as heavyweight Alexander Volkov will take on Tom Aspinall. Volkov, a Russian, has had some conflict obtaining a visa, mostly because of the war in Ukraine, but looks to be able to fight. The bout will create a contender. 

The co-feature, a good one – Andrew Allen, a likable big puncher faces the tough, but unable to go on a slew of wins, Dan Hooker. This fight gives the winner a crack at a meaningful fight.

Paddy Pimblett is a character, and nearly getting into a fight with Kazula Vargas fight week adds to his lore. The antics of Conor McGregor without the talent. Pimblett brings back the old reckless behavior some of us love from the old UFC like say a Tank Abbott. Pimblett is the guy to track from the card as he has the most star power.

Gunnar Nelson, a long-time UFC veteran will be on the card. 

Local ticket seller Molly McCann will also fight on the card.