Super middleweight contender Vaughn “The Animal” Alexander is looking to get back into contention for big fights and he’s willing to fight a man they are calling a monster, hard-punching first-round knockout specialist Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, to do it.
“Why wouldn’t I want to fight Edgar Berlanga?” said a confident Alexander (15-4, 9 KOs). “He’s calls himself a monster. I want to find out. No hate at all; he’s doing what he’s supposed to do with the people they are putting him in with, but I think I will beat him.”
Saint Louis native Alexander, older brother of former two-weight world champion Devon Alexander, says he sees things in the 23-year-old Brooklynite Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs) that will not only allow him to snap the young slugger’s 15-fight first-round KO streak, but will also carry him to victory.
“I will beat him. He’s knocking all these guys out that just stand there and offer no resistance. I will do the things that benefit me, not him; I will stand when I want to. And his power means nothing to me. I have a hell of a chin. I’ve even fought light heavyweights and still held my own.”
“I think Edgar is a promising prospect, but let’s see what happens when someone gets out of the first round,” said Michael Cameron, Alexander’s manager. “Vaughn will take him deep into the fight. Nobody knocks Vaughn out. Let’s see what happens when a real fighter like Vaughn is still there late in a fight.”
Cameron says he’s reaching out to Berlanga’s people to try and make the fight happen, hoping they decide to try and give their fighter a challenge, rather than looking to continue the KO streak.
“He’d be a good win for me,” continued Alexander. “With the wave he has going right now, it’ll put me back where I need to be to further my career. I’m not hating on him. Berlanga is a good up-and-coming prospect who is knocking everybody out because he’s a very good fighter. I’m just a real fighter in the same weight class and I feel I will beat him.”
Following the cancellation of his bout against undefeated Khainell Wheeler that was scheduled for this Saturday, super middleweight Genc Pllana is available and ready to fight anybody, and is also targeting Edgar Berlanga.
Pllana (8-2-1, 4 KOs) would like to be Berlanga's dance partner on December 12th, and the Hagerstown, Maryland native feels that Berlanga's perfect 1st round knockout streak is more a product of a (lack) of strength in schedule then anything else.
"He is 15-0 with 15 knockouts in the the 1st round., He should have no issue fighting me. Especially if he is the monster that they say he is, He has not defeated anyone in the top-100, Where I have already defeated two fighters that were top-50, and I have only had 11 bouts. So fighting me would me the perfect fight for him."
Pllana is referring wins over Kevin Newman and a disputed draw with undefeated Kalvin Henderson. Pllana has never been stopped in his 11 bouts feels that he would be able to not only take Berlanga rounds, but be in position to win the fight.
Pllana's promoter Marshall Kauffman of King's Promotions agrees with his 26 year-old fighter.
"Genc has proven that he will face anyone at anytime, and when I gave him the news that Saturday's fight was off, he told me to pursue a fight with Berlanga. That shows that he is one of those fighters that is willing to take major opportunities."
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