In this current era of boxing, where social media drives attention and shapes public perception, there is one name that commands immediate notice, whether for his performances in the ring or his public remarks, and that is super middleweight Edgar Berlanga.
While some root for him and others bash him on social media, fans and foes alike can agree that he knows how to draw attention to himself and his brand. And attention, ultimately, is what you want in boxing, positive or negative. In wrestling, they often refer to that as “heat.” Good or bad, you want people talking about you, as staying in the conversation increases demand. Yet for all the attention he receives, whether fighting or through displays of a lavish lifestyle, Berlanga is still a human being. Behind the persona of Edgar Berlanga is simply Edgar, a person far different than what audiences are used to seeing.
The 28-year-old Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) has experienced both highs and lows in his professional career, each contributing to his growth in the ring and in life. What we wanted to know was how Berlanga has evolved as a person throughout the years? So we asked him.
“Edgar Berlanga, the person, is humble, driven, disciplined […] I feel like I’m in a place where I want to be in a better space with people. I want to achieve a lot of the goals I have on my mind. I just signed this deal with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing, and I want to become world champ. I want to continue to have success in boxing and make hit records. I think right now is my time. I’m just a different person. I’m putting my head down, working hard, staying disciplined, and looking forward to the future.
“There are a lot of haters. A lot of people who talk badly about me don’t know me. They can just stay on that side. They don’t have to get to know me. At the end of the day, that’s what makes you more poppin, more famous, more lit, when people hate on you. They want you to lose, so they are always watching your every move. I have God on my side. At the end of the day, I know I have a good heart, and that’s all that matters.”
One aspect of Berlanga people know less about is that he serves as a board member of the Cristian Rivera Foundation, whose mission is to find a cure for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive pediatric brain tumor. Many readers might assume this is simply another athlete aligning with a cause to enhance their public image, but in Berlanga’s case, the connection is personal.
Berlanga was born with medical complications that required him to spend about a month in the NICU because he was having seizures. Years later, when his son Chosen was born, he faced a strikingly similar challenge. Chosen was born without a developed pituitary gland and also began experiencing seizures with episodes that were nearly fatal. Like Berlanga before him, his son spent roughly a month in the NICU. Fortunately, Chosen recovered and is now healthy.
The Cristian Foundation’s founder, John Rivera, who happened to be a friend of Berlanga Sr. dating back to the 1990s, helped connect Edgar Berlanga with a young girl named Jesselyn Silva. Berlanga knew her from her time as an amateur fighter, but what he did not realize then was that she was suffering from DIPG. Reflecting on his own experience as an infant, his son’s health struggles, and now someone he personally knew facing the disease, Berlanga felt a deeper responsibility to get involved. He joined the Cristian Rivera Foundation and was later voted in as a board member. Tragically, Jesselyn Silva recently lost her battle with DIPG, a loss that has only strengthened Berlanga’s resolve to help the foundation in its mission to find a cure.
After A Dark Day Comes The Light —‘Baby Mama’ And Zuffa Boxing
In July 2025, Berlanga had a major opportunity to reenter the title picture when he faced Hamzah Sheeraz. But that night, things wouldn’t go Berlanga’s way. He was stopped in the fifth round after being down twice in the fourth. In the aftermath, Berlanga made the decision to step away from both the sport and social media, recognizing the need to reset and refocus.
“I had to find myself again,” he said. “I had to regain my focus and my love for boxing. I understood that they are going to love you, hate you, and love you again. Right now, they hate me, but after July, they are going to love me again.” Part of him finding himself again was getting back to something he has always been passionate about: music.
“I always liked music,” Berlanga said. “I’ve been making music since 2021, when nobody knew. I made like four songs but never pushed them out. I did a music video in 2022 and was going to put it out, but I didn’t because I felt like people were going to criticize me, as I already get a lot of hate. I was more worried back then about what people were going to think about me, so I just held it.”
“Fast-forward to February [2026], I was just fed up. After the last fight, I saw everyone turn their backs on me. I saw how people tried to use me as a meme on social media. I got to the point where I said, ‘F’ what people have to say about me. When you are doing good, they are going to talk. When you are doing bad, they are going to talk. So they are going to talk regardless.”
Berlanga would wake up one day, call his friend, and tell him to meet at the studio. Berlanga and his friend would crank out part of the song and post a snippet on social media. The snippet caught on like wildfire and motivated Berlanga to finish the song, and he thought to himself, ‘I got one.’ On April 10, Berlanga released his single “Baby Mama,” which has received mixed reviews, a response that comes as little surprise given his ability to generate both criticism and support at the same time.
Before dropping his single, Berlanga announced that he had signed with Zuffa Boxing alongside Richardson Hitchins. Although fans were shocked by the news of Berlanga signing with Zuffa Boxing, for Berlanga, he believes it was the right fit for him.
“I just love their organization,” said Berlanga. “Dana White is a marketing genius. He likes to build up his fighters and make them into superstars. I attended the last UFC event in Miami, and it was amazing with the structure that they had. That is what boxing needs: structure. That’s the reason why we don’t have big sponsorships and a lot of big companies behind us, because there is no structure. Everyone is in it for themselves.”
The biggest question surrounding Berlanga’s signing with Zuffa Boxing was whether he would still be able to make fights and challenge for world titles. Dana White stated in multiple interviews leading up to the promotion’s debut that his fighters would not compete for any of the four sanctioning organizations’ titles. That hard stance would later shift slightly with the signing of Jai Opetaia. After the situation involving the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and Opetaia, the question resurfaces: What does this mean for fighters signing with Zuffa Boxing moving forward?
Berlanga maintains that his goal has not changed. He still wants to become a world champion, raising the question of whether his situation differs from others who have recently signed.
“I just want to become a world champ,” he said. “I want to fight Chris Eubank, get my rematch with Sheeraz and Canelo.”
Berlanga added, “We’re doing regular boxing things. We’re still fighting for the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF. We aren’t in the Zuffa League thing. It’s totally separate from what we’ve got going on.”
It will be worth watching how this develops, especially after the situation involving Opetaia became publicly complicated. The hope is that Zuffa has figured things out since then.
Berlanga’s career has had its share of ups and downs, but with his recent signing to Zuffa Boxing, he now has an opportunity to reach new heights, even if it means clearing a few hurdles along the way. Berlanga approaches those challenges with the same perspective shaped by the obstacles he and his son have faced in life, as he aims not only to become a world champion but also to become a star in the music industry.
Look for Berlanga’s return to the ring in the summer, but for now, he’ll be promoting his single as the song continues to draw attention.
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