Boxing has a habit of humbling its boldest talkers. On July 13, in a highly anticipated super middleweight clash at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, Edgar Berlanga—once hyped as Puerto Rico’s next great hope—met an unforgiving truth in the form of Hamzah Sheeraz. Despite all the noise leading up to the bout, it was the towering Brit who let his fists do the talking, systematically dismantling Berlanga before stopping him just 17 seconds into Round 5.

The result sent ripples through the boxing world, but perhaps the most eye-opening reaction came from none other than Claressa Shields. A two-time Olympic gold medalist and arguably the most dominant woman boxer of this era—not to mention someone who’s never shy with her words.

Shields took to X.com just minutes after the bout to express both confusion and concern. She wrote: “I’m such a huge fan and friend of Berlanga. Idk what went wrong tonight, I loved the lead up to the fight. The press conference, the weigh in,… I just think sometime with all the trash talk can make you not really study your opponent….. but damn I didn’t know Sheraz was that tall! And understand leverage on his punches. I knew from rd 1 he had to be careful.”

The instincts of the self-proclaimed “GWOAT” (Greatest Woman of All Time) were spot on. From the opening bell, Sheeraz—a 6’3″ technician trained by former WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee—used his size, range, and timing to control every exchange. While Berlanga’s power has long been his calling card, Sheeraz smothered that threat with surgical precision and a jab that snapped like a whip.

Edgar Berlanga reflects on Sheeraz loss, hints at comeback

Humility isn’t something Edgar Berlanga has been associated with much over the years, but after Saturday night’s beatdown in Queens, the 28-year-old super middleweight seems to be reevaluating things. Dropped twice in the fourth round and ultimately stopped in the fifth by a dominant Hamzah Sheeraz, Berlanga was forced to do what he’s rarely done in the past—look inward.

“Last night didn’t unfold the way we trained for, prepared for, or envisioned,” Berlanga wrote in a late-night Instagram post, sharing somber images from the aftermath. “It was a tough loss—one that felt surreal in many ways.” To his credit, the Brooklyn native made no excuses. Instead, he owned up to the outcome, stating that his team takes full “accountability, and with that, we also take the lessons.” He even took a moment to show sportsmanship, congratulating Sheeraz and reminding followers, “We remain humble no matter what.”

The post wasn’t just a PR clean-up—it read more like a spiritual re-centering. “Boxing is as much mental and spiritual as it is physical. Some nights test everything inside of you, and this was one of them,” he added, calling the defeat a “turning point.” Berlanga credited faith as his anchor through adversity, saying, “We thank God for His continued grace, even in defeat.” In closing, he reassured supporters that his story isn’t over yet: “We’ll take the time to reflect, recalibrate, and return with clarity, hunger, and focus. We will be back soon!”

Whether that return involves a clash with former IBF champ Caleb Plant remains to be seen, but the stakes—and the tension—are already built in. Both fighters have suffered setbacks, and both are hunting for redemption.