Super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga was arrested Monday in Polk County, Florida, and is facing two battery-related charges, according to court records first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Berlanga, 29, was taken into custody on Oct. 26 by the Lakeland Police Department in connection with an alleged incident on Oct. 18. He is charged with one count of first-degree misdemeanor battery and one count of second-degree felony aggravated battery.
He appeared before a judge at the Bartow Courthouse on Tuesday, where combined bail was reportedly set at $16,000. His arraignment is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 17, when he is expected to enter a formal plea.
Details of the alleged incident have not been made public. Berlanga has not issued a statement on the arrest, and Zuffa Boxing has not commented. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Berlanga (24-2, 19 KOs) signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing earlier this year after leaving Matchroom. He last fought on July 26 at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, where he climbed off the canvas to stop Steven Butler in the seventh round.
According to Box.Live, Berlanga’s team had been planning a late-January return against an unbeaten opponent. That fight has not been formally announced, and it is unclear whether the legal proceedings will affect the timeline.
A conviction on the felony aggravated battery count carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison under Florida law.
