Edgar Berlanga made headlines last month by naming a host of high-profile fighters he wanted to face. His so-called “hit list” included the names of Canelo Alvarez (for a rematch), Jaime Munguia, Jermall Charlo, Caleb Plant, Hamzah Sheeraz, and Diego Pacheco. Berlanga’s goal? To bounce back from his loss to Canelo and make a statement in the super middleweight division. However, in a recent update, it has been confirmed that Berlanga will not be facing any of the fighters he had initially called out. Instead, he is set to fight the unbeaten Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz on the undercard of Austin Williams vs. Patrice Volny on March 15, at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The announcement didn’t sit well with everyone—especially Caleb Plant, who has been on Berlanga’s radar for some time.
Caleb Plant and Edgar Berlanga have been involved in a long-running rivalry that peaked when Berlanga, a hot prospect, was set to face Canelo Alvarez last year. At that time, Plant had expressed interest in facing ‘The Chosen One.‘ On the undercard, where Canelo defeated Berlanga and Plant secured a knockout victory over Trevor McCumby. Plant emerged as the Interim WBA Super Middleweight champion with the victory. Now, with the tables turned, the 32-year-old decided to mock the 22-1 boxer, adding more fuel to their ongoing rivalry.
Isn’t that a low blow Caleb Plant?
Not very long ago, ‘Dantheboxingman’ posted an update about Berlanga’s next fight on X while sharing the official poster. “OFFICIALEDGAR BERLANGA RETURNS ON THE AMMO WILLIAMS UNDERCARD,” the caption read. Caleb Plant, ever the critic, reshared the post with a biting caption: “And the crowd goes MILD!!!! Anyways 40$ on pump 3 my guy, preciate it.”
And the crowd goes MILD!!!! Anyways 40$ on pump 3 my guy, preciate it. https://t.co/Vxa1gM8oiC
— CalebPlant (@SweetHandsPlant) February 11, 2025
Plant’s comment caused quite a stir, as he essentially mocked ‘The Mantequilla,’ referring to him as just some guy who pumps gas at a gas station. ‘Sweethands’ downplayed Ortiz’s credentials, with the interim WBA Super Middleweight champion dismissing Berlanga’s opponent. But was Plant’s comment justifiable?
To answer that you only need to check his record. Ortiz, after turning pro in 2009 stands at 20-0 with 16 knockouts. In fact, he has been on a 2-fight knockout streak in the last year. While it’s clear that Ortiz may not be the fighter Berlanga fans expected him to face, Plant’s remark still seemed unnecessarily harsh.
The way Caleb Plant characterized Edgar Berlanga’s next opponent reflects the tension between the two fighters. And now that Berlanga is preparing for a different fight, Plant’s online antics seem to make matters worse for the already-struggling Puerto Rican boxer. And if you’re wondering what the “disaster” is about, here’s the answer.
Edgar Berlanga slowly making his way back
Recently, Edgar Berlanga posted a shadowboxing video on X, attempting to hype up his return. Unfortunately, rather than impressing fans, his shadowboxing session was widely mocked. How?
Many fans took to social media to ridicule Berlanga’s performance, some even comparing it to dancing rather than serious boxing training. One fan joked, “How u losing in shadowboxing,” while another poked fun at his knockdown by Canelo, with comments like, “Is that salsa, merengue? #wtf,” highlighting how poorly his movements came across.
While Edgar Berlanga continues to hype up his return, the reality is that fans are growing skeptical. Despite the big names he’s mentioned, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll face any top-15 contenders very soon. Edgar Berlanga is in a tough spot right now. If he hopes to silence his critics and prove he’s still a force in the super middleweight division, he’ll need to put on a dominant performance that goes beyond social media antics.
Do you think Caleb Plant was out of line in mocking Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz? How do you feel about Edgar Berlanga’s shadowboxing video? Is it a bad sign for his comeback? Will Berlanga be able to bounce back and regain his position among the top super middleweights, or is his career on the decline?
The post Caleb Plant Makes Things Worse for Edgar Berlanga as Next Fight Turns Into a Disaster appeared first on EssentiallySports.
