Edgar Berlanga confident ‘The Monster’ is back for career-defining fight

Edgar Berlanga’s suspension is over, and he’s steadfast in his belief that “The Monster” is back. 

The one that emerged as one of boxing’s most-enthralling knockout artists.

The one that eluded him in recent bouts. 

The one that his new bosses are counting on. 

“I feel like now, not necessarily to prove to the world, I want to prove it to myself,” Berlanga (20-0) said as he sat down with The Post at The Renaissance Hotel in midtown on Wednesday. “It’s like a promise to myself.

“For me to really show and prove and really go out there and perform like the superstar I am and bring back that fire I had my first fight, where everybody wanted to come and watch.”

A Brooklyn native, Berlanga is at a critical juncture in his career, set to face the toughest — and perhaps most revealing — test yet in 32-year-old Jason Quigley (20-2) in a 12-round super middleweight bout as the main event on Matchroom Boxing’s card at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. 

It will be Berlanga’s debut fight with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom after leaving Top Rank in January with his career in flux.

Edgar Berlanga celebrates after beating Alexis Angulo by unanimous decision on June 11, 2022. Getty Images

It’ll also mark his first fight back since his unanimous decision victory over Alexis Angulo on June 11, 2022, after which he received a six-month suspension for attempting to bite Angulo’s ear — a la Mike Tyson —during the bout. 

Accustomed to fighting multiple times a year amid his rapid ascension up the 168-pound division rankings and toward boxing stardom, it’s by far the longest layoff in between fights of Berlanga’s career. 

“I was depressed,” Berlanga said. “Not depressed because I saw [others] fight. Depressed that, I know my time is here, and I felt like it was just delaying. I was depressed. I’m not gonna lie, it was tough times for me. My family was upset. It was more sadness for how I was feeling because they know me, I’m an energetic person.

“I’m a person that’s always laughing. That has a sense of humor. But I started changing a little bit. I was beginning to be more frustrated with myself.”

Edgar Berlanga squares off with Jason Quigley ahead of their bout, as Eddie Hearn (center) looks on. Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

With a new promoter and a fresh fight date, however, Berlanga’s despair turned into excitement. 

Finally, Berlanga has the chance to start a new chapter. 

He had enjoyed immediate, and emphatic, success as a professional, emerging as one of the most electric prospects in the sport after knocking out his first 16 opponents in the first round. 

Coupled with his charismatic personality and celebrity connections (Tracy Morgan, Fat Joe, Myke Towers among others), Berlanga was a hit at the box office and at the gate, quickly growing a large following and generating strong ticket sales. 

Edgar Berlanga (r.) punches Alexis Angulo (l.) during his unanimous decision victory on June 11, 2022. Getty Images

Berlanga, who is Puerto Rican, was particularly popular among the vibrant Puerto Rican community in his hometown New York City and sold out The Theater multiple times.

He had his own float for the Puerto Rican Day Parade earlier this month. 

But he took home unanimous decision victories in his last four, more uninspiring bouts as he stepped up in competition.

That, coupled with his long layoff removing him from the limelight, perhaps removed a bit of the shine his stardom previously possessed. 

Edgar Berlanga (r.) with Fat Joe (l.) at the latter’s surprise birthday party on August 19, 2023.Getty Images

Criticism emerged that Berlanga was a product of skillful matchmaking and premature hype.

But he still commanded strong interest as a promotional free agent, and Matchroom has ambitious plans to move Berlanga along quickly to set him up for a lucrative shot at the division’s undisputed champion and all-time great, Canelo Alvarez — the biggest superstar in Matchroom’s stable of fighters — within the next year. 

Now 26 years old, Berlanga is no longer a rising prospect.

If he’s to capture that coveted big payday, it’s likely now or never to make it happen. 

Edgar Berlanga participates in the Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 11, 2023.Getty Images

“I like the fight because there’s been so much hype around Edgar Berlanga,” Hearn, Matchroom’s Chairman, told The Post. “And if he’s not the real deal, he’ll really struggle on Saturday against Quigley.

“But if he is, he could knock him out. And the place will go nuts.

“He’s Puerto Rican. He’s from Brooklyn. He comes from nothing. Now, he’s on the big stage. He’s got the rappers, he’s got the celebrity friends, he’s got the ice. And if they believe in him, then they’ll come out even more.

“That’s why Saturday is important. We’ve got to prove it’s not all hype.” 

Edgar Berlanga is at a critical juncture in his career. Getty Images

Constant change has surrounded Berlanga through this recent period in his career. 

Beyond promotional companies, Berlanga has switched trainers multiple times as well as personal publicists and other parts of his team.

He’s also in the process of moving to Puerto Rico.  

So for Berlanga to rediscover his old self, “The Monster” went back to his creator.

He began working again with Marc Farrait, who originally trained him at the beginning of his career, holding his training camp in Tampa.  

Edgar Berlanga (r.) with trainer Marc Farrait (l.) ahead of his bout vs. Jason Quigley. Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.

“This is the guy who made ‘The Monster,’” Berlanga said. “This is the guy that made the Bugatti. This is the guy that made the Ferrari. This is the guy that made the Lamborghini. He made me. Me getting with him, I knew everything would flourish. And that’s exactly what happened…

“We just match each other. Our mindsets. He made me. He’s an aggressive trainer. He wants to hurt. He wants to kill.” 

To bring that shared mindset back, Berlanga and Farrait went back to their roots. 

Specifically, Berlanga and Farrait used to spend hours on wall bags — just a punching bag pinned up against the wall so it doesn’t move — to unload endless punches. 

Beyond a favorite drill, it represented “The Monster” Farrait had built Berlanga to be, and is now attempting to revive. 

“We went back to that,” Berlanga said. “Putting a bag on the wall, on a concrete wall. And I’m just running combinations on it, repetitions, hooks, body shots. Just different combos. And it’s like, ‘break the wall. I want to see you break the f–king wall.’

“That’s the mentality that we brought back, was that. Break this f–king wall. I want you to break it. And you see the wall in the gym, it’s shaking and everything. It’s just repetition, a lot of repetition. A lot of combinations and going over the same things. It gets boring after a while, but it works.

“Because when you go in the ring, like this Saturday, you execute it.”