Typically, the final press conference before a major boxing event serves as a platform for fighters to articulate their confidence, analyze their opponent, and engage in standard psychological warfare within the confines of verbal jabs and intense staredowns. However, a recent media event in New York City, ahead of a card featuring Edgar Berlanga Jr. against Hamzah Sheeraz and Shakur Stevenson challenging William Zepeda, deviated significantly from this established protocol, descending into a theatrical display that momentarily overshadowed the upcoming athletic contests.
The central figures in this unexpected drama were super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga Jr. and legendary former champion turned promoter, Oscar De La Hoya. Existing tension between the two, reportedly stemming from De La Hoya`s prior commentary regarding the value of a potential Berlanga bout against Canelo Alvarez, provided the undercurrent for the ensuing confrontation.
During the press conference, Berlanga Jr. directed his attention away from his opponent, Sheeraz, and towards De La Hoya, who was present to support his fighter, William Zepeda. The interaction escalated rapidly when Berlanga verbally referenced older, widely circulated images of De La Hoya in women`s attire, subsequently producing and throwing a wig and items of women`s undergarments in De La Hoya`s direction. This act, while undeniably a spectacle, employed methods rarely seen in formal pre-fight proceedings.
De La Hoya`s initial reaction appeared to be one of amusement. However, this brief period of levity quickly gave way to a pointed counteroffensive. Seizing the microphone, De La Hoya launched a verbal assault on Berlanga Jr., first questioning his credentials by highlighting his lack of a world championship title. He then proceeded to challenge Berlanga`s Puerto Rican heritage, a particularly sensitive point for a fighter who prominently represents his background, going so far as to claim he possessed more Puerto Rican authenticity than Berlanga. De La Hoya concluded his rebuttal by casting doubt on the legitimacy of Berlanga`s past victories and the authenticity of his personal adornments, labeling them `fake`.
The exchange grew increasingly heated, with both parties exchanging further verbal barbs and moving closer to one another. Security personnel were required to intervene and maintain separation, preventing the confrontation from escalating into a physical altercation.
This incident, while undeniably a spectacle, raises questions about strategic focus heading into a significant fight for Berlanga. While genuine animosity dating back to comments regarding the Alvarez scenario appears to fuel the tension, the overt theatricality of the exchange also serves the enduring objective of generating attention and publicity for the fight card. In a sport often reliant on narrative and personality clashes to drive interest, this particular interaction delivered, albeit in a manner rarely observed. One might speculate on the strategic implications of employing hosiery as a psychological weapon in lieu of traditional trash talk.
While the immediate athletic contests remain scheduled and are the ultimate focus, this unconventional confrontation has effectively ensured that the preliminary narrative centers less on jab percentages or ring generalship, and more on laundry-based skirmishes and disputed national identity, a curious development in the professional landscape.
