Berlanga is targeting Scull’s IBF belt in 2025

Edgar Berlanga says he wants to get his hands on the “IBF title badly” in 2025, and he is targeting super middleweight champion William Scull this year.

Canelo Pipe Dream

Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) has already outlined his plans to quickly capture the IBF title from Scull and use the belt as a lure to get a rematch against unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.

Berlanga is sturdy $10 million payday because that fight was fun, especially since he didn’t have to take any risky fights to earn the title shot. He should be happy with that money because he’s not going to get a second chance to fight Canelo regardless of whether he captures the IBF belt.

If Berlanga wins that belt, he’ll be stuck defending it immediately against a top contender like Osleys Iglesias, and he’ll lose it immediately.

It’s doubtful the Mexican superstar would be interested in fighting Berlanga again anytime soon, if at all. He would receive criticism for fighting a weak, undeserving native of Brooklyn, New York a second time.

Rehydration Roadblock

Even if Berlanga were to fight for the IBF title, the 10-lb rehydration rule would diminish his chances of winning the belt. With him rehydrating into the 190s, he was unable to hold his weight down to 178 for the secondary weigh-in on the day of the fight. Berlanga apparently rehydrated after 193 for his fight against Canelo. At that size he should compete at light heavyweight.

Last September, Berlanga, 27, lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Canelo at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The scores

118-109
118-109
117-110

“I want that IBF TITLE SO BAD !!!! World Champion 2025 !! I’m going to f**** skull 🇵🇷🇵🇷,” Edgar Berlanga said X about his desire to challenge IBF super middleweight champion William Scull for his belt.

Jump again?

Boxing fans on social media are not in favor of Berlanga getting a world title shot against IBF champion Scull. That would send the wrong message to fans that Berlanga can leapfrog the top contenders to get repeat world title shots without earning them.

What Berlanga must battle with these contenders this time around to earn a title shot rather than have it handed to him on a silver platter:

Caleb Plant
Osley Iglesias
Diego Pacheco
Christian Mbilli
Bektemir Melikuziev
Jaime Munguia

Berlanga is ranked #4 WBA, #4 WBO and #6 WBC. Since he is not ranked in the top 15 by the International Boxing Federation, it is better for him to fight for one of the three other belts. However, for Berlanga to put himself in a position as the mandatory for the WBA, WBC and WBO belts, he will have to fight Plant, Iglesias, Mbilli or Pacheco.

In other words, fighters who are likely to beat him easily. But if Berlanga goes after the vulnerable Scull’s IBF belt, he will hold the keys to a high-paying rematch against Canelo. It would be a smart move on Berlanga’s part, but it’s doubtful he’ll get the second fight with Canelo. The backlash from fans would be severe for the Mexican star, who would not want to deal with it.