Rumors are swirling about Edgar Berlanga’s potential return to the ring. With a possible showdown against Gabe Rosado, Berlanga could be looking forward to an all-Puerto Rican clash in February. This bout would mark his return after a career-first loss to megastar Canelo Alvarez three months ago.

Despite the setback, the 27-year-old Brooklyn-born fighter achieved a significant milestone in his eight-year career when he faced Alvarez. Following his victory over Padraig McCrory in early February last year, Berlanga was elevated to the position of a mandatory challenger for Alvarez after interim super middleweight champion David Morrell moved up to the 175-pound weight class. Needless to say, there have been numerous talks about the payout from his second outing at the T-Mobile Arena. Speculations are rife. Given it’s a Canelo fight, many assume he received a substantial payout. However, after hearing what boxing insider Rick Glaser mentioned, one might wonder if Berlanga has already fought the last fight of his career.

Edgar Berlanga’s Fight Purse

According to Glaser, Edgar Berlanga must have taken home around $12.5 million from the title showdown on September 14. The revelation followed an innocuous query that followed an earlier post from Glaser.

With the New Year turning up, Glaser messaged that hands down, Keith Connolly deserved the 2024 Manager of the Year award. As Berlanga’s manager, Connelly was instrumental in securing such a big fight. Then again, another starfighter, Richardson Hitchins, finally achieved his dream of becoming a world champion this year. Notably, Connelly previously won the 2019 Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Manager of the Year award.

Getting back to the Berlanga payout, the amount must have startled fans and followers. It should be noted that the topic was surrounded by considerable ambiguity. The reported figures differed significantly across various sources. Ahead of the match, a story on the online sports newspaper ‘AS USA’, revealed that ‘Berlanga could earn up to $30 million, with $17.5 guaranteed’.

Conflicting Reports on Earnings

Suggesting it was exaggerated or incorrect, Berlanga, however, denied that he was going to receive such an amount, the piece mentioned. During an interview with the Puerto Rican newspaper ‘El Nuevo Diaz’ (The New Day), he replied, “Yes, yes, yes, of course, yes, of course,” in response to a question about whether it is a large sum of money.

A report on ‘The Sportster‘ suggested Edgar Berlanga’s purse hovering between $1-3 million. Against it, Canelo Alvarez’s reported take-home stood at nearly $35 million. One should remember, that the Mexican superstar usually prefers to keep 80% of all the money that his fight generates.

The fight against Alvarez was the biggest of Berlanga’s career and his first pay-per-view main event. Naturally, his earnings saw a significant increase compared to previous bouts. For his fight against Jason Quigley, Berlanga reportedly earned between $500,000 and $700,000, which rose to $1 million with pay-per-view revenue. Later, his February 2023 fight against Padraig McCrory earned him approximately $800,000.

One thing’s for sure: with the Alvarez fight, Berlanga has cemented his place on a grand stage. While his payout may not have reached astronomical levels, it positions him to command impressive purses for future bouts.

With a potential fight against Gabe Rosado, fans are eager to see how Berlanga’s career unfolds. His ability to draw significant paydays and headline major events highlights his growing stature in the boxing world.

What are your thoughts on Rick Glaser’s estimate of Berlanga’s payout? Do you think his earnings reflect his rising prominence in the sport?