NYC played host to the press conference that officially announced Edgar Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) vs. Hamzah Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) and Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) vs. William Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs).
Overall, it was the Berlanga show as he was on full display with his trash talking and showing off for those in attendance in his hometown of NY. Sheeraz was dressed in a suit and tried his best to be respectful, but you could tell he was a little rattled inside. Stevenson and Zepeda had an intense stare-down, but it was Stevenson who was doing most of the talking. This is an intriguing fight card that will have all of boxing watching on July 12.
The fight is scheduled to take place at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY. Currently, the press release has the event being streamed on DAZN and not DAZN PPV, so we’ll see if that changes as we get closer to fight night.
Here are the quotes from Thursday’s press conference in NYC.
Edgar Berlanga
On the upcoming matchup vs. Sheeraz:
“You already know what time it is. I’m knocking this mother***er out. He said we’re overlooking him, but I don’t overlook any fighter. You are in NYC. You are in the lion’s den. We’re going into this looking to hurt him. I’m going to break every bone in this guy’s face and do what I do best: put on a show. Every fight, you have to turn it up.”
On his confidence:
“I’ve always been like this [confident]. You saw me in the Canelo fight. I went toe-to-toe with him. I was trash-talking him to his face. I’m like that at the highest level.”
On Sheeraz’s fighting style:
“He’s a basic fighter. I’ve been boxing since I was six years old. What he brings, I’ve already seen. He’s trained by Andy Lee, I messed up the last fighter, and now I’ll mess up this fighter.”
On fight prediction:
“If he comes to fight the first round, I’m knocking him out.”
On a potential Canelo rematch:
“His people are asking for the rematch. It was a big fight – every bar in New York and Puerto Rico was shut down. I gave him 12 rounds when all the other fighters he fought had more experience. I want a Canelo rematch because the fans are asking for it.”
Hamzah Sheeraz
His message to Berlanga:
“I’m coming, and I’m coming for everything. I feel like this fight, for the first time in my career, I’m being underestimated. I get it; you’re only as good as your last performance in boxing. I’m telling you now, on July 12 – when I get the win – the Hamzah Sheeraz hype train will be back on again. We’re coming with everything.”
On his last fight:
“I’ve learned a lot of things, but it’s all well and good, that’s the past. We’re in New York, everything is about the future and all about July 12. I’m ready.”
On being called soft:
“If I were soft, I wouldn’t be going into a fight like this, at 160 at a new weight. On July 12, we’ll see what I’m all about.”
On his prediction for the fight:
“I’ve learned a lot since my last fight, not just in the ring but outside as well. I’m going to go out there, throw a few jabs, land a right hand straight on the chin, and knock him the f*** out. But if it goes 12 rounds, it goes 12 rounds. Either way, it’ll be explosive.”
On fighting Canelo in the future:
“I’m not going to talk about that. I need to smash Berlanga’s face, and then we can talk about that.”
Shakur Stevenson
On how he expects the fight to go:
“He’s coming in here to throw as many punches as possible, overwhelm me, and try to bully me. I’m not going to let that happen. I don’t believe in all the bull*** he’s talking about. I’m going to go out there and do what I do best, win. In spectacular fashion. I’ll come out there to whoop his a**.”
On Zepeda’s plea to “stand up and fight:”
“I’m coming there to put on a performance. I’m not focused on standing there and fighting, I’m not focused on boxing, I’m coming in there to put on the best performance of my career. On July 12, Zepeda is going to remember my name.”
On his performance:
“I’m going to train my ass off. Come July 12, he’ll have the best version of Shakur Stevenson in front of him. He will see something different that he hasn’t seen before. If he thought I was a skilled fighter before, wait until he sees the best version of myself on fight night. He has no chance.
On being compared to the boxing greats:
“It’s cool, but I don’t get too caught up in that. I don’t want to get trapped where I’m thinking so highly of myself, and I’m not thinking of the fight. Know that I’m not sleeping on William Zepeda. I understand that this is a fighter who has been waiting for this opportunity his entire life. I’ve known Zepeda since I was 16, and he was focused then. I understand this is his moment too, so at the end of the day, I have to lock in. I’m going to step on him, and that’s what I’m coming to do.”
On looking ahead to a potential Tank fight:
“Right now, all that’s on my mind is July 12. Of course, I want the Tank fight. I’ve been saying it for years. Truthfully, if I don’t get past Zepeda, then there is no Tank fight. Zepeda is first, and I’m going to stand on business.”
William Zepeda
On his upcoming fight against Stevenson:
“It’s an honor to be here. This is the fruit of 16 years of labor. This is the opportunity of my life, and I believe on July 12, everyone is going to know who William “El Camarón” Zepeda is. I know that I have to prepare one million percent for this fight. It’s the biggest fight of my career, the biggest fight of my life, and like I’ve told my team, I can’t leave this in the judge’s hands. I have to come out here and give everything I have in my heart and stop this fight.”
On being overlooked by Eddie Hearn:
“I don’t care what Eddie says. I’m preparing really well. I’m fully aware of Shakur’s skillset, and I am doing what needs to be done to win on July 12. Shakur says he’s going to stand and fight – let’s stand and fight.”
On what he expects from Stevenson:
“I know that Shakur is a great fighter, and I understand the opposition in front of us, but I am training for that. I have a plan A and plan B. A lot of fighters I’ve fought think I’m a guy who just throws punches until they’re in the ring with me.”
On Stevenson, saying he’ll step on him:
“I’ve always been a fighter known to be very disciplined, very focused. This is not an exception. This is the biggest fight of my life and the greatest opportunity I have. I want to be known as a Mexican legend, but not just a Mexican legend, a legend in the sport of boxing. I look at this fight like a movie, like Meldrick Taylor versus Chavez, and I want that type of fight. I want to give the fans what they want.”
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