He doesn’t need this fight either. Berlanga was defeated by Hamzah Sheeraz in five rounds. There’s not much to gain from beating someone who’s experienced this kind of defeat, and losing to him is hard to justify.

Berlanga, 28, suffered a huge loss to Canelo Alvarez in September 2024 before returning in March 2025, knocking out 35-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in the first round. This is a fight that will keep him under control. Four months later, Shiraz knocked him out.

A normal move after a defeat like this is against a ranked opponent at super middleweight. Kevin Lele Sadjo, Bektemir Melikuziev, Isleys Iglesias or Aslambek Idigov all fit this path. In several of these races, Berlanga will likely enter as an underdog without the benefit of the main stage.

Instead, he targeted Eubank Jr., who spent much of the past few years campaigning at 160 pounds. Berlanga is 168 years old and is naturally large. Even in a weight class, the size advantage is more advantageous than against established competitors in that weight class.

Since losing to Billy Joe Saunders in 2014, Eubank Jr. has built his record with the help of high-profile opponents such as Arthur Abraham, James DeGale, Liam Smith and Connor Benn. In his world title fight with George Groves, he was the underdog for twelve rounds. He continues to make headlines in the UK.

From Berlanga’s perspective, the logic is simple. Eubank Jr. is a name. London is a stage. The wallet will be strong. If he was going to have another risky fight so soon after the Sheraz loss, it would make more sense to do it there than against a contender that most casual fans barely know.