Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas headline Puerto Rican Day Parade card in NYC

Edgar Berlanga will struggle in a 10-round most important occasion in opposition to two-time world title challenger Alexis Angulo whereas Xander Zayas takes a step up in school to tackle Uzbekistan-born veteran Ravshan Hudaynazarov on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York Metropolis.

Berlanga-Angulo and Zayas-Hudaynazarov shall be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

“Boxing occasions at Madison Sq. Backyard on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade are at all times particular, and we have now sensational younger abilities in Edgar Berlanga and Xander Zayas topping the invoice,” stated High Rank chairman Bob Arum. “They’re every stepping up in school, and I anticipate them to carry out in an enormous method in entrance of a raucous, sold-out enviornment.”

Berlanga (19-0, 16 KOs), at 24 years outdated, is already one of many greatest ticket-sellers in New York Metropolis. In March, a sold-out crowd of 5,158 packed the Hulu Theater for his step-up struggle in opposition to Steve Rolls, which he gained by unanimous choice. Berlanga burst onto the scene with 16 consecutive first-round knockouts to begin his profession, a ferocious run that captured the creativeness of struggle followers. The streak led to April 2021, though Berlanga despatched Demond Nicholson to the canvas 4 instances in eight rounds. He survived a intestine verify that October, overcoming a torn biceps and a visit to the canvas to defeat Marcelo Esteban Coceres. Berlanga is presently the WBO No. 7-ranked tremendous middleweight contender and may edge nearer to a world title shot with a victory over Angulo.

Berlanga stated, “I’m so pumped to be headlining my second most important occasion on the Hulu Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard. Prepare for one more sold-out crowd! This one shall be particular as a result of this shall be my first most important occasion through the festivities of the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend, similar to my idols Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad and Miguel Cotto did. I’m following within the footsteps of greatness, but additionally persevering with the legacy of bringing my folks collectively on a gorgeous weekend.

“For this struggle, we determined to do the coaching camp on my Island, and it has been an amazing choice. It has been an amazing coaching camp in Puerto Rico. Originally of coaching camp, I met with ‘Tito’ Trinidad, and he gave me some very encouraging and motivating recommendation. He’s my hero! I’ve been working very laborious and I can’t wait to struggle on June 11 to point out what I’m made off. I’ll increase the Puerto Rican flag up excessive and signify for all my Boricuas around the globe.”

Angulo (27-2, 23 KOs), from Patia, Colombia, acquired his first crack on the brass ring when he challenged Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for the WBO tremendous middleweight title in June 2018. He misplaced a unanimous choice to Ramirez, bouncing again with a serious upset over then-unbeaten prospect Anthony Sims Jr. in January 2020. Lower than seven months after the Sims triumph, he fought David Benavidez for the IBF tremendous middleweight crown, falling by way of Tenth-round TKO. In his lone outing of 2021, Angulo knocked out Carlos Galvan in 5 rounds. He hopes to upset the apple cart as soon as in opposition to Berlanga.

Angulo stated, “I sit up for getting again in motion on the legendary Madison Sq. Backyard and placing on an amazing present for all boxing followers, the Colombian followers, Puerto Rican followers, and the Latino neighborhood that can present out and assist. I’ve confirmed to be a talented, skilled, gritty, and valiant fighter. I intend to carry the identical into the ring on June 11 in opposition to Edgar Berlanga.”

Zayas (13-0, 9 KOs) has been on the quick monitor since signing with High Rank at 16 years outdated. From first-round knockouts in his first two professional fights in 2019, to a spotless 6-0 run in 2021, Zayas has lived as much as the billing. This shall be his third consecutive struggle below the Madison Sq. Backyard lights, lower than three months faraway from a one-sided eight-round choice over Quincy “Chico” LaVallais. Hudaynazarov (19-5, 14 KOs) has solely been stopped twice in a 14-year skilled profession and has gained two of his final three bouts.

Zayas stated, “For me, combating at Madison Sq. Backyard is at all times an amazing alternative. It fills me with emotion as a result of the followers at all times carry very constructive and motivating vitality. This coming June 11, I do know it is not going to be the exception, as this shall be my first struggle on the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. I guarantee you that this would be the first of many. I need to proceed bringing glory to Puerto Rico and Madison Sq. Backyard, and I’ll proceed to work laborious to write down my title within the historical past books as Cotto and Trinidad did.”

The undercard, which shall be streamed reside and completely on ESPN+, will function the next Puerto Rican standouts in separate bouts:

Henry Lebron (15-0, 10 KOs), 8 rounds, junior light-weight — Lebron, from Aguadilla, stood out on the Berlanga-Rolls card with a seventh-round TKO over the normally sturdy Josec Ruiz. Earlier than turning professional, he gained Puerto Rican newbie nationwide titles in 2015 and 2016.

Carlos Caraballo (15-1, 14 KOs), 8 rounds, junior featherweight — Co-promoted by Miguel Cotto, the native of Guayanilla survived a intestine verify versus Luis Fernando Saavedra on March 26, edging a majority choice. Caraballo gained his first 14 professional bouts by stoppage earlier than a detailed unanimous choice loss to Jonas Sultan final October quickly blunted his momentum.

Josue Vargas (20-2, 9 KOs), 8 rounds junior welterweight — Born in Isabela and raised within the Bronx, Vargas returns to the Hulu Theater, web site of his first-round knockout loss to Jose Zepeda final October. Vargas regrouped to edge Argentina’s Nicolas Pablo Demario by unanimous choice in March.

Armani Almestica (5-0, 5 KOs), 6 rounds, light-weight — Born to Puerto Rican dad and mom and raised in Orlando, Florida, Almestica broke by means of on the Berlanga-Rolls card with a third-round stoppage over Luis Valentin Portalatin. The all-action Almestica had a 117-7 newbie report and was on the Puerto Rican nationwide group. He elected to show professional after the Tokyo Olympics was postponed.

Orlando Gonzalez (17-1, 10 KOs), 8 rounds, featherweight — It’s a night of redemption for Gonzalez, who’s coming off a 10-round choice loss to Robeisy Ramirez on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard. The Aguadilla native spent a lot of his early profession combating in Puerto Rico and can make his Madison Sq. Backyard debut June 11.

Omar Rosario (6-0, 2 KOs), 6 rounds, junior welterweight —A six-time Puerto Rican newbie nationwide champion from Caguas, the 24-year-old fights for the primary time since January’s choice win over Raekwon Butler.

Frevian Gonzalez (4-1, 1 KO), 6 rounds, junior light-weight — A stablemate of Puerto Rican two-weight world champion Jose Pedraza, the Cidra native seems to bounce again from final June’s choice defeat to Bryan Lua.

Christina Cruz (2-0), 4 rounds, flyweight – Cruz, an eight-time U.S. nationwide newbie champion, turned professional final summer season. Born to Puerto Rican dad and mom, Cruz was raised within the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

A press launch by High Rank was used on this article.