Edgar Berlanga is here to defend his crown and throne. The self-proclaimed ‘King of New York’ is set to fend off a challenge from across the Atlantic. On July 12, under the lights at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Berlanga will face off against Briton Hamzah Sheeraz in a super middleweight showdown that could determine who emerges as the next major player at 168 pounds, just behind the division’s undisputed king, Canelo Alvarez. The hometown favorite has already claimed victory outside the ring.

Speaking with Wade Plemons, the Nuyorican asserted confidently, “I already beat him….mentally I already beat him.” This will mark Sheeraz’s first bout at super middleweight. And Berlanga appears so confident in his chances that he’s willing to stake a hefty $100,000 to prove it! During the face-off moderated by Plemons, tensions ran high and the stakes got even higher. The Berlanga-Sheeraz bout co-headlines the ‘Ring III‘ alongside Shakur Stevenson’s title defense against William Zepeda.

Social media has been buzzing with footage of Berlanga’s fiery exchange with Sheeraz. Midway through the conversation, Sheeraz fired back, “I’m going to talk to you in the fight… I’m going to talk to you,” after Berlanga took jabs at his performance in his last outing against Carlos Adames.

In turn, Sheeraz slammed Berlanga for the Canelo fight. The Brooklyn-born fighter accused Sheeraz of underestimating him. But Sheeraz denied it. He willingly entered Berlanga’s ‘backyard’ to prove himself. Unconvinced, Berlanga claimed Sheeraz was maneuvered into this bout so he could be lined up for a shot at Canelo next. “He promised you Canelo next,” Berlanga alleged. But rejecting any such promise, Sheeraz countered, “We nearly signed for another fight.”

To Berlanga, he is the ‘Canelo‘ that Sheeraz has been chasing. “I’m your Canelo,” he insisted. When Sheeraz dismissed the claim, “You’re not bro,” Berlanga leaned into his bravado. Acknowledging Sheeraz’s deep financial backing, he stood up, extended his hand, and challenged, “You got the bag…you got that Turki money. 100,000 on a fight…on a win.” Never one to back down, Sheeraz accepted, sealing the deal with a firm handshake.

So, the stakes are officially raised. On top of the purse, the winner walks away with an extra $100,000.

Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz: All roads lead through this make-or-break showdown

This is a must-win for both fighters. Berlanga secured a knockout win in March. But it came against a lesser-known journeyman. That followed his first career loss to Canelo last September, a defeat that left lingering questions about his ability to handle the top contenders in the super middleweight division.

For Sheeraz, the stakes are just as high. After a strong run of knockout victories, his momentum stalled in a hard-fought draw against Carlos Adames on the Bivol-Beterbiev undercard. That stalemate put a dent in his title aspirations. Now under the guidance of new trainer Andy Lee, Sheeraz is testing himself in a new weight class.

Given that Turki Alalshikh has high hopes for his rise and appears to have mapped out future plans, Sheeraz must deliver under pressure. Especially in a hostile New York crowd.

So here’s the big question: Can Hamzah Sheeraz pull off the upset in enemy territory against a resurgent Edgar Berlanga?