Trash talk always comes with a price, and Edgar Berlanga is still paying it. After getting outclassed by Canelo Alvarez in a lopsided unanimous decision last year, the Brooklyn-born boxer didn’t seem to learn his lesson. But Hamzah Sheeraz may have finally driven the point home. Not only did Sheeraz do what Canelo couldn’t—dropping Berlanga three times—but he might’ve also knocked some humility into the 28-year-old loudmouth.

If you missed the action last Saturday night in Queens, New York, Sheeraz put on a clinic. He dominated Berlanga, scoring two knockdowns in the fourth round before ending the bout with a fifth-round technical knockout. The emphatic win in the title eliminator brings Sheeraz one step closer to a potential shot at Canelo Alvarez. Meanwhile, Berlanga is left to pick up the pieces, sharing a reflective post on Instagram late last night in the wake of his crushing defeat.

“Last night didn’t unfold the way we trained for, prepared for, or envisioned,” Berlanga wrote while sharing a few images from the event. “It was a tough loss—one that felt surreal in many ways.” Despite the shocking defeat, at least for him, Berlanga refused to give any excuses, claiming his team takes complete “accountability, and with that, we also take the lessons.” He congratulated Sheeraz for the victory before suggesting, “We remain humble no matter what.”

He continued, “Boxing is as much mental and spiritual as it is physical. Some nights test everything inside of you, and this was one of them.” The 28-year-old acknowledged that even though the loss was heavy, it won’t be the end of his career—rather, it’s a “turning point.” He added, “We thank God for His continued grace, even in defeat.” Berlanga thanked his team and supporters for standing beside him before reminding, “This journey is far from over.”

As a final message to his fans, Berlanga added, “We’ll take the time to reflect, recalibrate, and return with clarity, hunger, and focus. We will be back soon!” Notably, the loss has set him back significantly, at least if he wants to make his way back to the opportunity to become a champion. However, he does have the option to face former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant. 

There’s no shortage of animosity between the two, and Plant is in a somewhat similar situation. After suffering losses to Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, Plant bounced back with a ninth-round knockout win over Trevor McCumby last year. However, his last fight against Jose Armando Resendiz has set his career back significantly. Whether this fight happens or not, whether Berlanga makes a comeback or not, is yet to be seen. But someone else is enjoying Berlanga’s downfall. 

Oscar De La Hoya trolls Edgar Berlanga after the Hamzah Sheeraz loss

Golden Boy Promotions head Oscar De La Hoya didn’t hold back his excitement after Berlanga fell to Sheeraz. The retired world champion immediately took to social media to troll Berlanga. “Sheeraz, congratulations. Bumlanga, oh my god, you got knocked out! Something Canelo Alveroids couldn’t do,” Oscar said in a video, mocking Berlanga, while taking a stray shot at his former fighter Canelo Alvarez. 

However, what made the trolling from Oscar even more satisfying for the promoter is the insults Berlanga was throwing his way before the fight. In one of the press conferences for the bout, Berlanga bizarrely threw lingerie, cash, and even a wig at De La Hoya, calling him a “stripper.” So, Oscar decided to wear a wig in the video to further humiliate Berlanga for the loss. 

From the looks of things, Hamzah Sheeraz has managed to humble the once arrogant Edgar Berlanga. However, whether this lesson, which Berlanga claims to have learned, helps him is yet to be seen. With limited prospects, what do you think the future holds for the 28-year-old?