Edgar Berlanga climbed off the canvas to cease Steven Butler at 1:19 of the seventh spherical in the principle occasion of Zuffa Boxing 09 on Sunday evening on the Infosys Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard, ending a yr out of the ring with the nineteenth knockout of his profession.
Berlanga (24-2, 19 KOs) had not fought since July 2025, when Hamzah Sheeraz stopped him within the fifth spherical. He was dropped within the closing seconds of the second spherical by Butler (38-6-1, 32 KOs), a Montreal veteran who arrived on a 4 battle knockout run at tremendous middleweight, and wanted the remainder of the battle to take the evening again.
“He caught me with an excellent shot. I recovered good. What can I say, it’s boxing,” Berlanga mentioned, as quoted by The Candy Science.
Berlanga answered within the third with a sustained volley that left Butler unsteady for the stability of the spherical, although the Canadian survived to the bell and had his finest moments on the finish of the third and thru the fourth. Butler additionally tried a takedown throughout one alternate. Within the sixth, Berlanga closed the spherical with a run of proper palms that put Butler down for the second knockdown of the battle.
“A wounded animal is harmful. I knew if I harm him however don’t knock him out clear, he was going to return again,” Berlanga mentioned.
Butler landed a proper hand early within the seventh earlier than Berlanga answered with a mix that introduced the referee in to cease it.
“It reveals I’m a real champion, and I’m not afraid of preventing anybody,” Berlanga mentioned afterward, per Sky Sports activities. “I fought a harmful fighter, a giant knockout puncher to show myself and present folks I’m again.”
He then listed the names he needs subsequent. “We wish Hamzah Sheeraz, Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank, Jermell Charlo, Caleb Plant, we need to battle to finest show we belong with the very best.”
Berlanga informed The Candy Science the battle served its function. “It’s a studying expertise. We fought a harmful fighter, a real knockout puncher,” he mentioned. “I need to battle the very best.” The win was his sixth in six appearances at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Within the co-feature, Richardson Hitchins received each spherical in opposition to Ricardo Salas in his first battle at welterweight, taking 100-90 scores from all three judges over 10 rounds. Hitchins (21-0, 8 KOs) vacated the IBF junior welterweight title earlier this yr, citing the burden minimize, and had not fought since June 2025. He managed the battle behind his jab, bloodied Salas’s nostril and swelled the Mexican’s left eye. Salas fell to 24-3-2, 18 KOs.
“The man was powerful, he saved going,” Hitchins mentioned. “I confirmed what I can do; field.”
Hitchins used his post-fight interview to name out the highest of the 147 pound division. “I would like the very best guys in boxing,” he mentioned, per Sky Sports activities. “Give me Gervonta Davis, Devon Haney, Ryan Garcia. They are saying I’m not like that, come present me I’m not like that. 21-0, no attracts, no stains on my document. Come get it in order for you it.”
Each Hitchins and Berlanga signed with Zuffa Boxing in April and had been making their first appearances below the promotion, which was staging its first card in New York.
Jalil Hackett opened the principle card with a unanimous resolution over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a ten spherical middleweight bout, profitable 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. Hackett (13-1, 9 KOs), a 23 yr previous from Southeast Washington, D.C., was preventing at 160 kilos for the primary time in opposition to a 40 yr previous who has by no means been stopped and who has challenged for world titles 3 times. Hackett labored behind his jab early and opened cuts round each of Derevyanchenko’s eyes, however was staggered within the tenth earlier than the ultimate bell. Derevyanchenko dropped to 16-7, 11 KOs.
“I used to be itching to get him later,” Hackett mentioned. “That’s a man canine over there.”
The prelim fundamental occasion produced essentially the most alarming end of the evening. Vladyslav Sirenko knocked out Otto Wallin at 2:59 of the tenth and ultimate spherical, touchdown a proper hand adopted by a left hook with one second remaining in a battle that had been headed to the scorecards. Wallin went down face first and was nonetheless on the canvas when medical employees entered the ring. He was eliminated on a stretcher and brought to Bellevue Hospital Middle in Manhattan for examination.
Wallin’s coach Travia Pierce informed Swedish outlet Sportbladet that the heavyweight was okay, in line with Göteborgs-Posten. Sirenko (23-1, 20 KOs) had not fought since shedding a choice to Solomon Dacres final July. Wallin (28-4, 16 KOs) suffered his first knockout loss since Anthony Joshua stopped him in December 2023.
On the remainder of the prelims, Emiliano Moreno took a unanimous resolution over Arnold Gonzalez at welterweight by scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 78-74, with Gonzalez urgent early earlier than Moreno took over behind his jab from the center rounds. Kashaun Davis received the assembly of unbeaten heavyweight punchers, outworking Mihai Nistor over eight rounds for scores of 80-71, 80-71 and 79-72. Nistor was minimize above the best eye by an unintended head conflict and was docked a degree within the fifth for holding.
Troy Nash took a majority resolution over fellow unbeaten featherweight Ethan Perez, with two judges scoring it 79-73 and the third seeing it 76-76. It was Nash’s third straight win below the promotion. Within the opening bout, Andres Sosa handed Dominique Francis the primary lack of his profession, dropping him with a left hook within the third spherical and profitable 79-72, 78-73 and 77-73 at tremendous featherweight.
The cardboard streamed on Paramount+ in america and on Sky Sports activities in the UK and Eire. The eight battle lineup was confirmed final month.
Full Zuffa Boxing 09 outcomes
Edgar Berlanga def. Steven Butler, TKO 7 (1:19), tremendous middleweight
Richardson Hitchins def. Ricardo Salas, UD 10 (100-90, 100-90, 100-90), welterweight
Jalil Hackett def. Sergiy Derevyanchenko, UD 10 (98-92, 97-93, 96-94), middleweight
Vladyslav Sirenko def. Otto Wallin, KO 10 (2:59), heavyweight
Emiliano Moreno def. Arnold Gonzalez, UD 8 (79-73, 78-74, 78-74), welterweight
Kashaun Davis def. Mihai Nistor, UD 8 (80-71, 80-71, 79-72), heavyweight
Troy Nash def. Ethan Perez, MD 8 (76-76, 79-73, 79-73), featherweight
Andres Sosa def. Dominique Francis, UD 8 (79-72, 78-73, 77-73), tremendous featherweight
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