In less than two days, Edgar Berlanga will enter the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens with a chip on his shoulder. Since the brutal loss to Canelo Alvarez last year, ‘The Chosen One’ has seen his credibility diminish, a decline that even a first-round TKO victory over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz earlier this year failed to reverse.

So, for him, the July 12 clash against Hamzah Sheeraz is not just a simple fight anymore. It is his chance to prove to the world that he belongs at the top, and he is leaving no stone unturned. Over the past few weeks, Berlanga has been revving up his trash talk over Sheeraz. On Wednesday, he turned the mind games up a notch, even throwing shade at the whole UK boxing scene.

Just a few days before the ‘Ring III’ event, Edgar Berlanga appeared in an interview with Breakfast Club Podcast. During the conversation, the Nuyorican fighter shared his goals and how important the Hamzah Sheeraz fight is for him. Then his tone shifted when Jess Hilarious asked, “Do you know your opponent’s weakness for the fight coming up?”

Rather than going into the technical side, the 28-year-old replied, “He from the UK, you know what I am saying. So, he’s soft,” raising questions over the UK boxing scene. The stereotype of UK boxers being timid when compared to American boxers is not new. And while it is not true, the examples like Anthony Joshua‘s shocking loss against Andy Ruiz Jr. in his American debut back up this claim.

There are a few more similar instances scattered away in the sport over the years. The idea is that the loud, ruthless, and hostile New York crowd rattles up the UK boxers. And with the ‘Ring III’ event in Queens, Edgar Berlanga believes Sheeraz, born in a quiet and modest town like Slough, will crumble the same way. “I am born and raised from New York. I’m from the trenches. I go over there, my energy’s gonna be up here. Them dudes come over here and they fold,” he concluded, laughing it off.

Despite the chip on his shoulder, Edgar Berlanga is oozing confidence. However, with His Excellency slightly favoring the Slough native, even he knows it will be a difficult task.

A mountain to climb for Edgar Berlanga

While as a promoter, HE Alalshikh is not allowed to pick sides, even he has his favorites. Last month, he picked Shakur Stevenson and Hamzah Sheeraz as his desired winners on July 12th. “Will be very upset if Berlanga and Zepeda knock out Sheeraz and Shakur. We have big plans for Sheeraz and Shakur, and this result would be a complete disaster…!” he said.

Expectedly, the comment caught the attention of Edgar Berlanga, who promised to ruin the Saudi Royal’s plan. However, in a recent interview with DAZN boxing, the 28-year-old acknowledged just how hard it will be. “One thing I want to say, you know, people would think that this fight is, I’m the A side. I’m really the B side. If you really think about it right, because [Hamzah] Sheeraz, that’s Turki’s guy. No offense to Turki [Alalshikh] or nothing, but I know he wants his guy to win,” he said.

Expanding on the pressure, Berlanga accepted that a victory for Sheeraz could pave the way for a future bout with Canelo Alvarez. Yet, the New Yorker himself has been eyeing that rematch for some time and is determined not to let the chance escape. “I can’t let that happen right now. My back is against the wall. I just want to hurt him. I want to perform and I want to show the world who I am. Perform in front of 14,000 people in my hometown,” he concluded, making his intentions clear.

So, as the fight draws closer, Edgar Berlanga is making new enemies with every interview. For him, securing a victory in this fight is now paramount, not only for his record but also for his reputation. What do you think?