As first reported by BoxingScene’s Jake Donovan, Berlanga is currently fielding multiple offers while roaming free agency, putting him in a position to choose instead of react. That fact makes a fight with Adames impossible, no matter how clean the callout might sound on paper.
The main obstacle to this comparison is the risk-to-reward ratio. Adames is a technically sound, heavy-handed fighter who rarely finds himself on an easy night. For Berlanga, taking this fight presents several problems.
Someone who can beat you completely but won’t double your income for your work in the process. Until Adames builds more promotional feet at 168, or the sanctioning body forces the issue, he may find the top names in the division very difficult to reach.
Adames (25-1-1, 18 KOs) is coming off a 12-round decision win over Austin Williams and has indicated he is ready to leave 160 after running out of viable options. He has the style and toughness to trouble his opponents at 168, but that’s another story. You bring risk without bringing huge trading upside.
The Adames movement is a classic “forced hand”. He dominated Austin Williams last week and clearly saw that staying at 160 is a dead end. He has already battled Hamzah Sheeraz for points, and the matchup is a nightmare to put together, a jump to 168 is his only path to a big payday.
Here’s a breakdown of why this is the case:
Adames is in that dangerous position where he is too good for his own good. He has the power to end Berlanga’s night early and the chin to rip through Berlanga’s best shots. However, outside of strong boxing circles, he doesn’t bring in the big paycheck numbers that would make a fighter like Berlanga ignore the risks. In fact, he asks Berlanga to put his entire career on the line to win “respect”.
The timing of this call is especially problematic because of Berlanga’s free agency. Rumors linking him to Zuffa Boxing are getting stronger and stronger. If he’s going to be one of the faces of a new, UFC-style league, the last thing his new management wants is for him to be stripped of the Dominican powerhouse before the ink dries on the contract.
Berlanga has not responded because in his mind there is no “win” here. If he wins, people will say Adames was too young and going up in weight. If he loses, his “top-tier” status is over after three straight main stage hurdles (Canelo, Sheeraz, then Adames).
Adames is doing the right thing for his job by being vocal, but without the mandatory status from the WBC at 168, he doesn’t have the power to force Berlanga into the ring. Unless a major promoter or a site like Riyadh Season decides this is the “main event of the people” and throws undeniable money at it, Berlanga will likely keep his eyes on “marketable” names like Chris Eubank Jr. or a rebuilding battle under a new advertising banner.
