Berlanga boxed effectively in the opening round, using his jab and movement to keep Butler from closing the distance. He stayed on the outside, picked his shots, and appeared confident enough to exchange words with Butler before returning to his corner.
The momentum changed late in the second. Berlanga landed a left hook to the temple followed by a straight right, but Butler answered before the bell with a right hand that sent Berlanga to the canvas. Berlanga quickly climbed to his feet and assured the referee he was clear to continue, while the knockdown energized Butler heading into the third.
Instead of becoming cautious, Berlanga came out firing. Heavy combinations in the third round left Butler hurt, and the New York native continued pressing the action with hard jabs, left hooks, and straight rights. Butler refused to back down, firing back whenever opportunities appeared, turning the fight into an entertaining exchange of power punches.
Berlanga gradually separated himself over the next few rounds. Butler’s toughness kept him competitive, but he struggled to slow Berlanga’s offense or put together sustained attacks of his own. Nearly every successful rally from Butler was answered by another burst from Berlanga.
The tide fully turned in the sixth round. Berlanga dropped Butler near the end of the frame, leaving the Canadian unsteady as he made his way back to the corner. It appeared the finish was close.
The end came early in the seventh. Berlanga trapped Butler and landed a crushing left hook followed by a straight right that left him helpless against the ropes. Butler remained upright but offered little resistance as Berlanga closed in. The referee stepped between them before Butler could absorb more punishment, ending the fight with the Canadian badly hurt.
The win for Berlanga was one of his strongest performances in recent years because of the way he responded to adversity. After suffering an early knockdown, he regained control, broke Butler down with steady pressure, and produced an emphatic stoppage in front of his hometown crowd.
