Although he couldn't quite time countering telegraphed right hands from Alexis Angulo, Edgar Berlanga pieced together enough rounds to take a unanimous decision and remain undefeated Saturday night.
Judges inside the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden scored it 99-91, 99-91, and 98-92 in Berlanga's favor on the strength of the New York City product outlanding the veteran 108-79 in total punches. Those scores seemed generous, considering Angulo took the fight to Berlanga and founding openings with his slicing uppercuts.
Perhaps Berlanga should feel fortunate that he made it to the end of the bout, period.
That's because the 25-year-old could have very well been disqualified during the seventh round, as instant replays showed that he tried to bite Angulo during a clinch.
"He was throwing elbows. I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him," Berlanga told ESPN following his win. "I was ready to bite him."
Berlanga got away with that foul play and insisted that he wanted to show his boxing ability in this bout over the knockout power that was attached to his name following his first 16 pro bouts ending in first-round KOs.
"We said if we land a clean shot, if he goes, he goes, but if we got to box him 10 rounds, that's exactly what I did and I wanted to do that," Berlanga said.
"I feel like tonight I proved my point."
Berlanga used his power jab well, although the 38-year-old Angulo used his veteran savvy to put the rising prospect on his backfoot during many sequences of the fight.
The New York City crowd became restless at times, though, Berlanga (20-0, 16 KOs) was able to secure the victory and MSG's first-ever Miguel Cotto Trophy that came with it.