Edgar Berlanga and Steven Butler made Zuffa Boxing’s first New York fight card a memorable one.
Berlanga (24-2, 19 KOs) recovered from an early knockdown to stop Butler (38-6-1, 32 KOs) in a seven-round super middleweight slugfest on Sunday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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Berlanga began the Zuffa Boxing 9 main event behind his sharp jab and looked to outbox Butler in the early going — something we aren’t used to seeing from the man with 17 Round 1 finishes.
The Nuyorican looked as sharp as ever through two rounds, but at the end of Round 2, disaster struck. Butler connected with a single right hand that sent Berlanga to the canvas, undoing Berlanga’s positive start in an instant.
Entering Round 3, Berlanga gave up on trying to outbox Butler and went back to what he does best: throwing with power. And he enjoyed plenty of success doing just that. Butler was wobbled by a right hand a minute into Round 3. Berlanga sensed the Canadian was in trouble and looked to set up a finish.
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When fighters are badly hurt, they tend to take a knee to give them some respite. Butler was much smarter than that, though. He decided to illegally wrestle Berlanga to the floor instead, giving himself a breather and not having a 10-8 scored against him.
But the rest didn’t do him much good. One clean right hand through the middle had Butler in trouble all over again. Next, it was a left hook that stunned Butler. But he held, he ran, he rolled under shots, and he ultimately managed to survive Berlanga’s efforts to score a finish.
The fourth was a much quieter round. It was clear Berlanga had punched himself out and needed some time to recover. In fact, the only meaningful punch in the frame came from Butler toward the end, a clubbing shot that drove Berlanga backward.
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In Round 5, Berlanga resumed his assault, rocking his opponent with a crunching right over the top. Learning from his mistakes in the third round, Berlanga didn’t go all out for the finish this time. He applied smart pressure and looked for more openings, which he found courtesy of a lead left hook to the top of Butler’s head, affecting his balance.
Round 6 looked like another recovery round for Berlanga until, in the final 20 seconds, he scored with two head-snapping punches that left Butler stumbling across the ring. A trio of clean left hooks finally forced Butler to go down for the first time in the fight.
Butler was told in the corner between rounds that he’d be given one minute to prove he was still in the fight in Round 7. Butler appeared to be staying out of harm’s way, but it just took one short hook early in the second minute and a Berlanga follow-up combination for referee Eric Dali to decide he’d seen enough.
Following his win, Berlanga said he wanted one of the big names at 168 pounds next, calling for a rematch with WBO champion Hamzah Sheeraz, or fights with WBA titlist Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank Jr., Jermall Charlo and Caleb Plant.
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In the night’s co-feature, former IBF super lightweight champion Richardson Hitchins (21-0, 8 KOs) won a shutout unanimous decision over Ricardo Salas (24-3, 18 KOs) in his welterweight debut.
Hitchins dominated all 10 rounds against Salas, with the Mexican struggling to get past Hitchins’ elite jab with regularity. On the few occasions Salas did get on the inside, he found himself punching air and being tied up before Hitchins reset and continued to control the action at long range.
In the end, it was a comfortable night for Hitchins, who will now be targeting some of the bigger fights at 147 pounds.
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Check out complete Zuffa Boxing 9 results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the main card.
Main card
Super middleweight: Edgar Berlanga def. Steven Butler via seventh-round TKO | Watch video
Welterweight: Richardson Hitchins def. Ricardo Adan Salas Rodriguez via unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)
Middleweight: Jalil Hackett def. Sergiy Derevyanchenko via unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 96-94)
Prelims
Heavyweight: Vladyslav Sirenko def. Otto Wallin via 10th-round KO | Watch video
Welterweight: Emiliano Moreno def. Arnold Gonzalez via unanimous decision (79-73, 78-74, 78-74)
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Heavyweight: Kashaun Davis def. Mihai Nistor via unanimous decision (80-71, 80-71, 79-72)
Featherweight: Troy Nash def. Ethan Perez via majority decision (76-76, 79-73, 79-73)
Super featherweight: Andres Sosa def. Dominique Francis via unanimous decision (79-72, 78-73, 77-73)
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Darshan Desai
He wants one of Hamzah Sheeraz, Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank Jr., Jermall Charlo, or Caleb Plant next.
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Darshan Desai
It just took one combination of clean power shots for the referee to step in after Berlanga clipped him with a left hook!
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Darshan Desai
Butler swings with an overhand right to begin the sixth. Berlanga partially blocked that, but if it landed clean, that might’ve been goodnight. Butler continues to wind up on the right hand but misses entirely that time. Both men are tentative in this frame. They have both been hurt in this fight. Two-piece lands clean for Butler. Body shot for Butler. Two rights from Berlanga. Butler is WOBBLING again. Two left hooks – a third. DOWN GOES BUTLER! He will beat the count and see out the round.
10-8 Berlanga, 57-55
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Darshan Desai
Butler just fell short with a right hand to begin Round 5. The lack of activity from Berlanga since the beginning of Round 4 is confusing. But here comes the one-two. Nice left hook on the inside for Butler. Berlanga responds with a power shot. TERRIFIC right from Berlanga. Butler is ROCKED! Berlanga can get a knockout if he puts his shots together. But Berlanga isn’t searching for the finish this time. Berlanga will go downstairs with a left hook and then a left hook upstairs, and Butler is wobbling again. A short right from Butler may have hurt Berlanga coming in. Berlanga keeps plodding forward and lets his hands go. Great action!
10-9 Berlanga, 47-47
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Darshan Desai
Right-hand to the body from Butler. Berlanga isn’t doing much to begin Round 4. Did Berlanga punch himself out? Butler is fighting smartly and targeting the body. If Berlanga is tiring, put money in the bank with body shots and make sure he continues to slow down. A strong right hand from Butler pushes Berlanga back.
10-9, 38-37 Butler
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
The replay shows that the punch that floored Berlanga did not even connect cleanly. It landed on the guard, and it still scored the knockdown. Nice one-two land for Berlanga, and then an overhand right follows. Now, Berlanga is looking for power. Butler will meet him head-on. It’s gonna be a slugfest. Butler is ROCKED by a right hand. Another huge right hand. Berlanga keeps swinging and landing rights. Butler needs to land something fast, or he’s going to get stopped. Berlanga is hitting Butler at will with insane power shots. Butler hasn’t hit the deck yet. Butler is eating hellacious punishment, but he sees out the round.
10-9 Berlanga, 28-28
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Darshan Desai
Berlanga’s corner liked how he fought behind his jab in Round 1.
Nice right-hand connects for Berlanga – he set that one up with a left hook. Chopping right falls short for Berlanga, but the left hook downstairs connected. Two-piece lands clean for Berlanga. Berlanga’s hands look as fast as we’ve seen them. He’s not looking for power; he’s looking for speed. Tremendous right hand scores, and a pair of left hooks after it. HUGE right from Butler and Berlanga is DOWN! He changed the fight just like that..
10-8 Butler, 19-18
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Darshan Desai
Edgar Berlanga and Steven Butler have a combined 50 knockouts in 61 wins. Both are hard-hitting and both are vulnerable – somebody is going to get put to sleep!
Berlanga is the one who will look to establish the jab and maintain some distance. Butler is going to have to close the gap to land his shots, but he is coming off second best to Berlanga’s lead left so far. Sharp double jab to end the frame for Berlanga.
10-9 Berlanga
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
10 rounds of super middleweight action coming up between Edgar Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) and Steven Butler (38-5-1, 32 KOs).
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 18: Edgar Berlanga, Dana White and Steven Butler attend the Zuffa Boxing Media Day at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Fanatics)
(Rob Kim via Getty Images)
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Darshan Desai
100-90 ×3 – Hitchins takes a clean sweep.
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Darshan Desai
It’s a shutout for Richardson Hitchins. He won every one of the 30 minutes they fought.
Final score: 100-90
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Darshan Desai
The ringside physician inspects Salas before the beginning of Round 9. He will be allowed to continue, but unless he can land a Hail Mary, he isn’t going to win this fight.
Dominant stuff from Hitchins. Salas is just being beaten up round after round by Hitchins’ jab and sharp combinations. Salas seems to know he has no chance of winning this fight now, and is just trying to see the finish line.
10-9, 90-81 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
Hitchins has won every second of every round thus far. Will Hitchins force a stoppage now?
Hitchins connects with a one-two and drives Salas onto the ropes. Another right-hand lands. Hitchins is on the front foot; he’s landing shots at will. Can he put them together? Salas shows signs of life now. He starts to come forward and apply some pressure. Hooks from both hands catch Salas coming in.
10-9, 80-72 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
Hitchins’ coach told him in the corner between rounds that Salas is ready to go. Will Hitchins sit down on some shots now and go through the gears?
Two left hooks have connected for Salas in this first minute. Combination from Hitchins. The sharp jab follows. Salas is backed up into a corner — but Hitchins lets him off the hook. Salas is walking into sharp flurries from Hitchins. Uppercut counter from Hitchins on the ropes. Salas starts to let his hands go but can’t land anything clean.
10-9, 60-54 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
A trio of rights backs Salas up to begin the second minute of Round 5. He isn’t just fighting behind the jab now, but is throwing power shots after it. They are snappy shots, though. If Hitchins sits down on some of these, he can put a dent in Salas. A combination landed that time. Hitchins is starting to walk Salas back and take the fight to him to end Round 5.
10-9, 50-45 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
Terrific counter right-hand from Hitchins. Salas is in punching range with his left hand away from his chin at times and is leaving himself vulnerable. Salas connects with a right; Hitchins responds with three to four left-hand variations. It might not be exciting for this New York crowd, but he is dominant, he is clinical, and he is very hard to beat. Hitchins walks Salas into a right to end the frame.
10-9, 40-36 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
Salas would quite like Hitchins to hold his feet and slug it out with him, but Hitchins isn’t going to do that. He is going to be content with landing one or two shots and keep his legs moving. One-two from Hitchins in the final minute. A chopping right lands. And another right hand. He is letting more power shots go in this, the third round. Salas is so heavily outclassed. Salas tries to go to work as Hitchins is backed up on the ropes, but Hitchins sees it as an opportunity to walk Salas into sharp counters, which he does.
10-9, 30-27 Hitchins
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Darshan Desai
Salas is at risk of losing 12-0 to Hitchins’ jab unless he can find a way to get on the inside and stay there for sustained periods.
The sharp left-hand is connecting on Salas to begin Round 2. Salas gets a couple of shots in to the body. Nice chopping right for Hitchins. Salas is being made to fall short as he leaps in with shots. The quickness of Hitchins, with hand and feet, is proving too much for Salas – as is his terrific jab. A lead left uppercut lands now for Hitchins to end the frame.
10-9, 20-18 Hitchins
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