Berlanga survives knockdown to thrash sorry Butler on Zuffa debut

Back for the first time since a heavy defeat to Hamzah Sheeraz last year, the star returned atop a Zuffa bill in the Big Apple.

Yet the ex-super-middleweight challenger had to weather an early storm at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Berlanga found himself dropped in the second round after his opponent caught him amid a flurry of activity across the ring.

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The star responded superbly however, forcing Butler onto the back foot and punishing him throughout with plenty of power.

A sixth-round knockodown of his own seemed inevitable, and referee Eric Dali subsequently rescued the latter in the seventh.

Victory for Berlanga will have been a relieving tonic after an underwhelming loss to Sheeraz, just his second career defeat.

He now could pursue a possible rematch with the WBC champion after the latter saw off Simon Zachenhuber in Jeddah too.

Elsewhere on the bill, Richardson Hitchins made a comfortable move to welterweight with victory over Ricardo Salas as well.

The former IBF super-lightweight champion looked at home across a ten-round contest, scoring a unanimous 100-90 win.

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