If Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia didn’t satisfy your craving for awful title fights, have I got some good news for you. Per Julius Julianis, newly elevated WBA super middleweight champion Jose Armando Resendiz will make his inaugural defense against Edgar Berlanga on that same February 21st undercard.
The WBA has been Up To its Old Bullshit for a hot minute now and this still sucks. Berlanga (23-2, 18 KO) is 1-2 in his last three, a farcical finish of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz sandwiched between one-sided losses to Canelo Alvarez and Hamzah Sheeraz. Those aren’t losses to be ashamed of, obviously, but in no universe should he be getting a title shot on the heels of an absolute thrashing.
It’s not like he’s anywhere near the top of the rankings, either; he’s at a generous no. 12 behind significantly more deserving contenders like no. 2 Bektemir Melikuziev. This is Matchroom recognizing Resendiz (16-2, 11 KO), who upset Caleb Plant this year but got tuned up by another disappointment in Elijah Garcia three fights back, as Berlanga’s one and only chance at a real title and throwing its weight around to give him the opportunity.
Personally, I’m still hoping that Souleymane Cissokho goes nuclear, invokes the Ali act, and ruins this whole card.
In a break from the theme, the actually pretty solid WBA super lightweight title bout between Gary Antonio Russell (18-1, 17 KO) and mandatory challenger Andy Hiraoka (24-0, 19 KO) gets a new home after falling off of the doomed Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis card. Super middleweight standout Lester Martinez, last seen trading concussions with Christian Mbilli in one of 2025’s Fights of the Year, battles TBA.
