Berlanga’s KO1 Streak Looking More Like Valero’s Than Brunson’s

Published

4 years ago

April 21, 2021

Berlanga's-KO1-Streak-Looking-More-Like-Valero's-Than-Brunson's

It isn’t exactly a news flash that most fight fans are mesmerized by power-punchers, maybe even more than usual if a particular knockout artist has demonstrated an affinity for swift, percussive put-aways. That being the case, it well could be that super middleweight Edgar Berlanga’s scheduled eight-rounder with Demond Nicholson, supposedly the co-feature in support of WBO featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete’s defense against Christopher Diaz Saturday night in Kissimmee, Fla., will be more scrutinized than the main event.

Those bouts will be televised by ESPN/ESPN+.

Nicknamed the “Chosen One,” the Brooklyn-born Berlanga, who turns 24 on May 18, has won all 16 of his professional bouts on first-round knockouts. If he can extend his streak of never having had to answer the bell for the second round, hardly a gimme given that Nicholson (23-3-1, 20 KOs) arguably poses his sternest test to date, Berlanga’s bandwagon, which is already taking on lots of riders, is apt to soon become standing-room-only.

“When we say the phrase `heavy hands,’ Exhibit A is Edgar Berlanga,” ESPN blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore said after Berlanga, who is of Puerto Rican descent and hopes to follow in the footsteps of his island idols, Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto, rang up No. 16 with a swift stoppage of another credible opponent, Ulises Sierra, on Dec. 20 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Some records are less legitimate than others, and such would appear to be the case with Yemeni flyweight Ali Raymi’s mark of 21 one-round KOs at the outset of his career. Although Raymi, whose last bout was in 2015, won each of his 25 pro fights inside the distance, they all took place in his home country and against less-than-stellar competition. Also highly suspect is Tyrone Brunson’s next-best mark of 19 consecutive one-round KOs. The still-active Brunson, a Philadelphian who has fought as a junior middleweight, middleweight and super middleweight, technically defeated five undefeated opponents during his KO1 run, but all five of those victims were making their pro debuts and four of them never fought again. Now 28-8-2 with 25 KOs, Brunson is just 9-8-2 with six wins and five losses by KO since his opening spree of quickies.

In a story I authored for The Sweet Science on April 16, 2015, titled When the Grandmothers Stopped Falling for Tyson Brunson, Brunson’s then-promoter, Carlos Linas, explained why and how the bogus record was orchestrated.

“Even if you fought 19 grandmothers in a row, it’s still kind of notable to get all of them out of there in the first round,” Linas rationalized.

“Look, I know Tyrone has been moved slow. There have been bumps along the way. But we’re on the way now. I’ve seen him spar with guys like Kassim Ouma, Ronald Hearns (Tommy’s son), Kermit Citron and Andy Lee, and more often than not he walks through them. I saw him flatten Hearns in the gym.

“In retrospect, maybe it was a mistake to bring Tyrone along so slow. I tried to do what’s best. It (the one-round KO streak) was kind of an angle that we all came up with and tried to achieve. We believed in Tyrone’s talent, and still do, but perhaps we should have groomed him better along the way. I guess we’re still trying to reinvent the wheel. It didn’t work out. As he stepped up in competition, things got a little tough.”

For more than a century, the accepted record for one-round knockouts at the start of a pro career was held by Arthur Susskind, who, billed as Young Otto, strung together 16 such wins, a run that ended in 1905. By all accounts, Young Otto was a better than decent puncher, with 44 first-round KOs reportedly to his credit. But his record would be eclipsed by an even more devastating force of nature, Venezuelan southpaw Edwin Valero, a two-division world champion who won all 27 of his pro bouts by knockout, the first 18 in the opening round.

The WBA super featherweight and then WBC lightweight ruler, Valero, who was 28 when he committed suicide on April 19, 2010, a day after he was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, likely would have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame were it not for the unwelcome notoriety that attached itself to him while he was still an active fighter. Less than two weeks before his wife’s death and his subsequent taking of his own life (using his pants for a noose, he hung himself in his jail cell the day after his arrest), Valero had vacated his WBC lightweight title in expectation of moving up to junior welterweight and a bid for a championship in a third weight class.

What, you say long-reigning middleweight champion and Argentine legend Carlos Monzon is enshrined in the IBHOF and was actually convicted of murdering his second wife? Monzon, 52 when he died in a car crash while on furlough from prison, was a member of the IBHOF’s charter class of inductees in 1990. It might seem that the heavy out-of-the-ring baggage carried by Monzon was at least similar to Valero’s, but to date El Inca Dinamita has never appeared on the ballot.

Whether or not he ever will be officially immortalized with a plaque in Canastota, N.Y., several of those who saw Valero in action believe he would not only be competitive with a likely future Hall of Famer, he’d have won.

Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions (for whom Valero fought from the mid-point of his career on), picked him to defeat Vasiliy Lomachenko in a speculative story I did for TSS, Fantasy Fisticuffs: The Late Edwin Valero vs. Vasyl Lomachenko. Who Wins?, which was posted on Jan. 9, 2018.

“Oh, it wouldn’t be that competitive a fight,” Gomez said. “Valero would knock Lomachenko out. Valero was a truly special fighter, a special talent. He was very, very strong. He had raw power, incredible power, and in both hands. If he hit you, you were out of there, and he hit everybody. Every fight a win, every fight a knockout.”

So, with apologies to Raymi and Brunson, let’s set the unofficial but more palatable record for one-round knockouts out of the gate to Valero. Should Berlanga make Nicholson the 17^th addition to his collection, he’d need just one more blitz to match a standard that seemingly would earn anyone’s seal of approval. During his 18-fight equivalents of a speedway drag race, Valero’s victims were a collective 155-102-17 going into their matchups with him, with 77 KO wins and 53 such losses. Berlanga’s comparative mark as of now stands at 166-67-12, with the vanquished compiling 89 KO victories to just 25 defeats.

It should be interesting to see whether Berlanga feels any pressure to throw everything he has at Nicholson from the jump. But even if he has to satisfy himself with a somewhat delayed win by stoppage, or even a triumph on points, the drum beat of support for him is likely to grow louder if he continues to be a source of explosive power in a sport that dotes on such displays.

If Berlanga again does his thing in the manner to which he and his supporters have become accustomed, Navarrete (33-1, 28 KOs) and Diaz (26-2, 16 KOs) might find they have a tough act to follow.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams for Top Rank via Getty Images

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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Skylar-Lacy-Blocked-for-Lamar-Jackson-Before-Making-his-Mark-in-Boxing

Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

5 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

Mizuki-Hiruta-Dominates-in-her-U.S.-Debut-and-Trinidad-Wins-Too-at-Commerce

Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

6 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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