Edgar Berlanga says he wants to get his hands on the “IBF titles bad” in 2025, and this year he's targeting super middleweight champion William Scull.
Canelo Pipe Dream
Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) has already outlined his plans to quickly take the IBF title from Scull and use the belt as bait for a rematch against unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Berlanga is big A salary of 10 million dollars because that fight was nice, especially because he didn't have to take any risky fights to get a shot at the title. He should be happy with that money because he won't get another chance to fight Canelo, regardless if he wins the IBF belt.
If Berlanga wins that belt, he will be stuck because he will have to defend it immediately against a top opponent like Osleys Iglesias, and he will lose it immediately.
It's doubtful the Mexican superstar would be interested in fighting Berlango again so soon, if at all. He would receive criticism for his second fight against the weak, undeserving native of Brooklyn, New York.
Obstruction of rehydration
Even if Berlanga could fight for the IBF title, the 10 lb rehydration rule would reduce his chances of winning the belt. Having rehydrated to 190, he was unable to hold weight at 178 for the secondary weigh-in on fight day. Berlanga was reportedly rehydrated at 193 for his fight against Canelo. With that size, he should compete in the light heavyweight division.
Last September, Berlanga, 27, lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Canelo at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The results
118-109 (view, other).
118-109 (view, other).
117-110 (view, professional).
“I really want that IBF TITLE!!!! World Champion 2025!! I'm fucking going to sleep with my skull 🇵🇷🇵🇷,” said Edgar Berlanga on X about his desire to challenge IBF super middleweight champion William Scull for his belt.
Skipping again?
Boxing fans on social media don't like Berlanga fighting for the world title against IBF champion Scull. That would send the wrong message to fans that Berlanga can leapfrog the top contenders and get repeated world title shots without earning them.
What would Berlanga have to contend with against these contenders to earn a shot at the title this time, instead of being handed it on a silver platter:
Caleb plant
Osley Iglesias
Diego Pacheco
Christian Mbilli
Bektemir Melikuziev
Jaime Munguia
Berlanga is ranked 4th in the WBA, 4th in the WBO and 6th in the WBC rankings. Given that the International Boxing Federation does not rank him in the top 15, he is better off fighting for one of three other belts. However, to put Berlanga in a position to oblige for the WBA, WBC and WBO belts, he would need to fight Planto, Iglesias, Mbilli or Pacheco.
In other words, fighters who would probably beat him easily. But if Berlanga goes after Scull's vulnerable IBF belt, he would have the keys to a well-paying rematch against Canelo. It would be a shrewd move on Berlanga's part, but it's doubtful he'll get another fight with Canelo. The reaction of the fans would be serious for the Mexican star, who would not want to deal with it.