Brooklyn’s own Edgar Berlanga is just weeks away from stepping into the ring against the undefeated Hamzah Sheeraz at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens. But instead of building hype around the highly anticipated bout, ‘The Chosen One’ has drawn widespread ridicule for comments he made in a recent social media video.

The 28-year-old of Puerto Rican descent is coming off a first-round knockout win over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz, who once took a decade-long break from the sport. That win offered a brief reprieve following Berlanga’s humbling defeat at the hands of Canelo Alvarez last year, marking the first loss of his career. But what exactly did Berlanga say that turned fight fans against him?

Is Edgar Berlanga the King of New York?

New York has long been a breeding ground for boxing greatness, producing legends like Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, and more recently, Teofimo Lopez—fighters who’ve truly left their mark on the sport. Yet, Edgar Berlanga appears to have skipped over all of them in his self-proclamation. Despite never having a major world title, Berlanga has boldly crowned himself the ‘King of New York.’

In a promotional clip shared by The Ring ahead of his upcoming bout, Edgar Berlanga introduced himself with a bold declaration. “What’s up, guys? It’s the King of New York, Edgar Berlanga. I’m here in Boulder, Colorado. Damn near almost four weeks to fight night.” He went on to share updates from his training camp, noting that he was getting his track work in before encouraging fans to secure their seats. 

“Let’s get it. July 12th is going to be a banger, man. Get your tickets. Don’t forget,” he added. Even though the video was unassuming, people didn’t seem to like his claim that he was the ‘King of New York,’ which resulted in a backlash in the comments. 

Berlanga handed a separate crown instead

During the Canelo Alvarez fight, Berlanga emphasized his Puerto Rican roots to promote the fight. However, now he seems to be focusing on his connection to New York, something one user didn’t like. “That’s why PR doesn’t support you, because only when you needed PR in the fight with Canelo, you mentioned it. Now you don’t talk about Puerto Ricans anymore,” the user wrote. It was always clear that Berlanga was trying to manufacture a Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry in the Canelo fight.

Another poked fun at Berlanga by taking a sly dig at the 28-year-old. “One of boxing’s biggest stars!!!!! Said no one ever.” Despite what fans think about Berlanga, he believes that because he survived all 12 rounds with Canelo, he is indeed a big star. 

One comment gave Berlanga a different crown instead. “King of what? Dude trippin king of surviving.” The user pointed to his lackluster performance against Canelo Alvarez, where he struggled to make any real impact throughout the fight.

Someone else added insult to injury by cracking a joke. “Is New York in the room with us?” Notably, Mike Tyson remains the rightful owner of the crown, as his single visit to his native city often pulls a massive crowd. 

While most people mocked Berlanga, one came out to support the 28-year-old. “The future of the middleweight division and the island of Puerto Rico,” the user commented. However, Berlanga will have to contend with the likes of Christian Mbilli, Diego Pacheco, William Scull, and more to climb the super middleweight ladder.

Having said that, it appears Edgar Berlanga may crown himself the ‘King of New York’ all he wants, but fans don’t seem to be on the same page. What are your thoughts on the matter?