Edgar Berlanga: Boxing Is My First Love, But Wants WWE and Acting

Edgar Berlanga, the Brooklyn boxing star, has admitted his ambitions go far beyond the ring. In an interview with TMZ Sports, the 29-year-old athlete revealed he dreams of a career in wrestling and Hollywood, but stressed that boxing remains his main focus.

Berlanga is gearing up for a fight against Steven Butler on July 26 at Madison Square Garden. This bout is a crucial step in his career, especially after recently signing with Zuffa Boxing, the company owned by UFC chief Dana White.

The fighter praised White's ability to turn athletes into stars, saying, 'Dana made the UFC a brand. He understands how to market and build fighters.' Berlanga added that he already joked with White about possibly joining WWE if he keeps winning and delivering spectacular knockouts.

The wrestling dream is not just a joke for Berlanga. He named his friend Damian Priest, a well-known wrestler, as his ideal tag team partner. Moreover, he is seriously considering an acting career: he nearly appeared in 'Creed III' but had to pull out due to injury.

Interestingly, Berlanga has a real chance to make it in Hollywood: WME, which controls TKO Group, partially owns Zuffa Boxing and is one of the biggest talent agencies in the entertainment industry. So the boxer now has serious connections.

However, all these plans depend directly on his success in the ring. Berlanga started his career with an impressive streak of 16 early wins, but then faced tougher opponents and lost two of his last three fights, including a bout with none other than Canelo Alvarez.

Now the athlete insists he is back in top form: 'I feel amazing. I'm back better than ever. My sparring, my conditioning — I'm on a different level. My mentality now is championship time.' The fight with Butler will test those words, and Berlanga promises a special guest will accompany him to the ring.