Berlanga stops Butler in seventh after round-two knockdown
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- Edgar Berlanga was dropped in the closing seconds of round two by Steven Butler but rallied to batter Butler around the ring and force a referee stoppage in round seven with a devastating combination at Madison Square Garden.
- The bout, a year after Berlanga's knockout loss to Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz, marked Berlanga's 24th career victory and kept him unbeaten at MSG (6-0), after which he called for a Sheeraz rematch plus fights with Jaime Munguia, Chris Eubank, Jermell Charlo, and Caleb Plant.
- Butler attempted an MMA-style takedown to combat Berlanga's pressure, landed two heavy shots at the bell ending round three, and opened round seven with a big right hand before Berlanga finished him.
- In the co-main, Richardson Hitchins dominated Ricardo "Magic Man" Salas in his welterweight debut, earning 100-90 scorecards across all three judges and calling out Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, and Ryan Garcia at 147lbs.
- Zuffa Boxing announced Callum Walsh vs Tyler Denny for Zuffa Boxing 10 on August 8, live on Sky Sports.
Why it matters: Berlanga's seventh-round stoppage — coming a year after his only professional defeat — repositions him in the super-middleweight title picture and gives Zuffa Boxing a marketable rematch anchor with Sheeraz. Hitchins' flawless welterweight debut signals a new contender for the loaded 147lb division's elite names.
