Edgar Berlanga is eyeing up a shot at the WBA super-middleweight title despite signing a multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing.
After a quiet few weeks Zuffa Boxing and Dana White unveiled a double signing of American stars Richardson Hitchins (20-0, 8ko’s) and Edgar Berlanga (23-2, 18ko’s).
It’s two top level American fighters, but conflicting interests between promotion and the fighters raises a number of questions over these signings.
First of all, Richardson Hitchins is the IBF super-lightweight world champion.
As we have seen previously during Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23ko’s) fight week, the IBF and Zuffa’s relationship is not in the best of places.
Previously, Zuffa Boxing insisted that they do not intend to work with any existing governing bodies.
The initial goal was to replicate the UFC model that has given TKO so much success in mixed martial arts.
Unsurprisingly, the IBF didn’t take to these comments lightly.
Subsequently, the IBF stripped cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia when the Australian became the inaugural Zuffa champion.
All this does is just raise the question- what will happen to Richardson Hitchins and Edgar Berlanga.
Speaking to The Ring, Edgar Berlanga has made his intentions extremely clear.
The man from Florida stated: “I’m going to capture the WBA belt, or we get a big fight going with Chris Eubank Jr”.
“I’m aiming for next year to get that rematch with him [Hamzah Sheeraz]. I think it’s going to be one of the biggest fights in boxing”.
Potentially Edgar Berlanga will follow in the footsteps of Conor Benn (25-1, 14ko’s), who despite being signed to Zuffa, was contractually allowed to feature on a Ring Magazine card.
This will make any fight with world title ramifications more viable as Turki Al-Sheikh and the Ring possess a much healthier relationship with the governing bodies than Dana White.
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