Zuffa Boxing is taking a massive leap this Sunday, July 25, when their Zuffa Boxing 09 card lands at the Infosys Theater at New York’s Madison Square Garden, featuring a main event that’s got everyone buzzing. We’ve got Edgar Berlanga going head-to-head with Steven Butler in a 10-round super middleweight war. This isn’t just another fight, fam. This is Berlanga’s chance to prove he’s more than just a power puncher after some serious setbacks.
Berlanga’s Skill Test vs. Butler’s “Bang Bang” Style
Edgar Berlanga, a 29-year-old Puerto Rican star with Brooklyn roots, steps into the ring with a 23-2 record and 18 KOs. But listen, his last two outings? Rough. He went the distance in a 12-round pay-per-view loss to Canelo Alvarez in 2024, and then got knocked out in five rounds by unbeaten super middleweight titleholder Hamzah Sheeraz just a year ago. That’s gotta sting! He’s been outspoken about evolving his skillset, ditching the pure power reliance, and showing off a stronger ring IQ. “You can expect fireworks,” Berlanga told CBS Sports. “I truly feel that Butler has something to prove. Yeah, he has five losses but he’s a big puncher like me. I just have to be alert, great defense and great jab. I just have to go out there and do what I do best. I’ve been in there with the best like Canelo Alvarez. I have the experience and everything it takes to get the victory. I’m ready to take over the 168-pound division and become a champ.”
Across from him is 30-year-old Steven “Bang Bang” Butler, a Montreal native whose 38-5-1 record boasts 32 KOs. His aggressive style is no secret, and he’s been on a tear, going 6-1 with six knockouts since his own second-round KO loss in a middleweight title shot against Janibek Alimkhanuly in 2023. Butler even scored a first-round knockout of Steve Rolls in 2024, the same guy Berlanga took 10 rounds to beat two years prior. “I was an underdog all my life,” Butler told UFC.com. “I don’t try to protect my record, and I like to be the underdog and to create a surprise.” Yeah, you know he’s coming to prove something big.
Undercard Fire and Zuffa’s Rapid Rise
Before the main event explodes, we’ve got a killer co-headliner: former IBF junior welterweight titleholder Richardson Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) from Brooklyn is moving up to welterweight to face Mexico’s Ricardo Salas (24-2-2, 18 KOs). That’s another 10-round clash that could easily steal the show. Zuffa Boxing itself is on a tear, too. Just six months into existence, the promotion is rapidly expanding, signing big names, hitting new locations, and this Sunday is their first event ever at Madison Square Garden. Talk about making moves!
You absolutely can’t miss this one. Berlanga’s gotta deliver on his promise to evolve and take over that 168-pound division, and Butler is all about creating surprises as the underdog. It’s all going down live at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Get ready for some serious boxing!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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