Boxing
Edgar Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz: Style and mental warfare - who has the edge?
Berlanga vs Sheeraz - Saturday DAZN PPV - Buy now
As the promotion has built this week it has only got more heated between Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz.
The super middleweights will clash at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Corona, Queens, New York City on Saturday night, live on DAZN PPV.
The confident Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) gained a wealth of experience in a unanimous decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in September before rebounding with a first-round knockout of Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz in March.
He will be up against a driven and still undefeated Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) who is coming off a split draw against WBC middleweight world champion Carlos Adames in February.
With all of the attention on this Ring III card, DAZN News' Mark Lelinwalla analyzes who has the edge between Berlanga and Sheeraz entering this bout.
Boxing Styles
Both Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz fight behind a high, tight and disciplined guard with the ability to walk down opponents and rattle them — if not end their night altogether by launching a big right hand.
Berlanga and Sheeraz each set up the right well with the former doing it with level changes and a prodding left hand, while the latter often opts to poke with the jab from the distance and even doubles up with a left hook before unleashing the right.
Sheeraz could have the edge with style if he fully commits to letting his hands go. This was something he did not do to his best ability during the late stages against Adames and it cost him a world title victory.
This category is a close call with Sheeraz only getting the nod contingent on increasing his punch count.
Edge: Sheeraz
Power
'The Chosen One' Berlanga got back to recording first-round knockouts in March with his devastating finish of Gonzalez Ortiz. All but one of his 18 KOs have been produced in the first round, showcasing just how dangerous of a puncher he could be.
Sheeraz, too, possesses power with 17 knockouts to his name.
That said, Berlanga is the more blunt puncher and more of the home run threat.
Edge: Berlanga
Mental Warfare
Against Canelo, Berlanga got a taste of the brightest lights that boxing has to offer and he wants to remain a title challenger.
Sheeraz missed an opportunity to become a world champion and can strengthen his chances to once again vie for gold with a convincing victory over the brash Brooklyn, New Yorker.
The buildup of this fight has had Berlanga touting: “I know [Sheeraz] will be at his very best because this is his moment, I’m his Canelo. So, I have to be the same.”
How much of that lofty statement resides rent-free in Sheeraz’s head remains to be seen.
But until proven otherwise, Berlanga holds the upper hand when it comes to mental warfare as he believes a big win will put him in position to once again challenge Canelo soon.
The lure of that could be the incentive needed for Berlanga to shine.
Edge: Berlanga
Who has the edge in Berlanga vs Sheeraz?
DAZN News' Mark Lelinwalla has it 2-1 in Berlanga’s favor as there is no denying the confidence he has amassed since fighting Alvarez, arguably the face of boxing.
A short trip over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Berlanga is aided in the fact that this fight is in his backyard.
He can use this otherwise exotic location in Louis Armstrong Stadium, known for tennis, to hit the grand slam needed to lay claim to being the growing, young king of New York City.
Watch the Ring 3 live from New York exclusively on DAZN PPV, Saturday, July 12. Buy the PPV now here
