Edgar Berlanga has been suspended from boxing for six months by the New York State Athletic Commission after trying to bite Roamer Alexis Angulo in their fight earlier in June.
The super middleweight fought Colombian boxer Angulo on June 11 at Madison Square Garden and the 25-year-old defeated his veteran opponent on a unanimous decision after 12 rounds.
However Berlanga cut a frustrated figure at times and tried to bite his rival’s left shoulder in a seventh-round clinch, which went unpunished at the time.
Berlanga said afterwards: "I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him," in reference to Tyson’s 1997 bite on Evander Holyfield which brought about his disqualification.
Berlanga apologised in the aftermath of the fight but that has not prevented him from being punished, which may slow his attempt to move back up the rankings in pursuit of a belt at 168lbs.