Steven Butler Bets 32 KOs Can Silence Edgar Berlanga in New York

Steven Butler has fought more than 40 times as a pro. He's about to fight for the first time on the biggest stage of his career, and he's doing it in the last place he wanted to be. The Montreal native (38-5-1, 32 KOs) headlines Zuffa Boxing 09 on Sunday night against former super middleweight title challenger Edgar Berlanga at the Infosys Theater inside Madison Square Garden.

For Butler, this is only the third time he's boxed on American soil and just his fifth outing outside Canada. He'd have preferred a homecoming — his team lobbied Dana White directly to stage the bout in Montreal. When that didn't land, the negotiation moved to New York, and Butler decided walking into enemy territory was worth it for the name across the ring.

The Underdog's Case

The math tells you why the oddsmakers favor Berlanga. He's the guy who took Canelo Alvarez the full distance in a losing effort in 2024 — Canelo, for context, sits at 63-2-2 with 39 knockouts. Butler's résumé is louder in one specific department: 32 of his 38 wins have come by stoppage. That's a genuinely absurd finish rate, and it's the entire pitch here.

Butler isn't fussed about being the underdog. He says he's worn that tag his whole life and that he doesn't fight to protect a record — he fights to spring surprises. There's a reinvention story underneath the bravado, too. After a TKO loss to Patrice Volny in June 2024, he moved up to super middleweight and has since rattled off four straight stoppages, four for four at 168 pounds.

A Fresh Start at 168

The theory is simple: less weight to cut, more strength in the tank. Butler describes the jump as a fresh start, and the results back him up. Signing with Zuffa Boxing was the next rung, and beating a recognizable name like Berlanga would kick the door open to bigger paydays under the banner.

Butler's respect for Berlanga is real but pointed. He credits "The Chosen One" for building wealth and a platform largely on the strength of his mouth, and wishes him and his family well — right before arguing that Berlanga's team made a mistake booking this fight coming off a loss and a year of inactivity. He claims he's the better boxer in every phase.

Expect Fireworks

Don't expect a chess match, either. Butler waved off the idea that two heavy-handed men would spend rounds tiptoeing around each other's power. He wants to read what Berlanga brings in the opening round, and he floated the possibility of ending it right there. If it goes his way Sunday, Butler has already written his own headline: a new star is born.