Picture Credit: Twitter
Edgar Berlanga has been issued a suspension of around six months by the New York State Athletic Commission along with a fine of $10,000 for attempting to bite Alexis Angulo on Saturday. As per reports, the suspension will start on 11 June, the date of the fight to 11 December.
After the fight Berlanga joked about the incident, saying, “I was about to do a Mike Tyson on him. He kept throwing his elbows, and I didn’t want to get cut. I was ready to bite him like Mike Tyson.”
Hopefully, he will learn a lesson: Arum
Berlanga’s promoter and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum addressed his fighter’s suspension. “The New York commission is a good commission and they are the ones who made the determination and they determined the length of the suspension,” he said while talking to Fight Freaks Unite.
"Obviously, it's a bad intentional foul, biting your opponent, so I can't quarrel with the action of the commission. He knows better and he's got a lot of people counselling him that know better and, hopefully, he will learn a lesson.”
“To make light of it and brag about it is what got him in trouble,” Arum continued. He made it worse by making fun of it. When the time comes, we'll sit down and talk with (his team) about what to do next. It’s one thing where they accuse him of trying to bite his opponent. That’s bad enough,” Arum said. “But to make light of it and brag about it is what got him in trouble. He made it worse by making fun of it.”
I reacted poorly and take full responsibility: Berlanga
Berlanga apologised on Twitter the day after the fight saying, "I want to apologize for my actions and what I said about the Mike Tyson bite. I was in the moment and got a little ahead of myself.”
“It doesn't take away from the embarrassment that I have caused upon myself, my team, Top Rank, and many others. I reacted poorly and take full responsibility. Moving forward, I am going to be more mindful and encouraging in my behaviour. Once again, I do apologize.”