That pattern has already played out. Berlanga moved into a title shot against Canelo Alvarez in September 2024 without facing a top-tier super middleweight contender, with his best wins coming against Patraig McCrory and Jason Quigley. Estimates put his purse for the Canelo fight in the eight-figure range, giving him a career-high payday despite the big step up in class.
A fight against then-WBA regular champion David Morrell was an available route during that period, but it did not offer the same financial benefit. Berlanga seized the Canelo opportunity instead, and the result secured him both exposure and earnings at a level few contenders reach.
His next appearance followed a similar scale. Berlanga reportedly earned around $5 million for his fight against Hamzah Sheeraz last July in Queens, where he was stopped in the fifth round on Turki Alalshikh’s card. Even in defeat, the financial return remained high, reinforcing the same direction.
Now the focus has shifted to Chris Eubank Jr., another opponent with name value and pay-per-view potential. While not the most dangerous option among the younger contenders at 168, Eubank offers a familiar equation: visibility, marketability and a strong wallet.
Berlanga has also expanded his focus outside the ring, speaking openly about his ambitions in music and describing himself as “not just a superstar in boxing,” but “a superstar in life.” That outlook runs alongside his box plans rather than behind them, and it helps explain the choices being made.
The numbers and the quotation marks point the same way. Berlanga follows the biggest opportunities available, and his pursuit of Eubank Jr. indicates that the approach does not change.
