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- Former world champion Edgar Berlanga headlines Zuffa Boxing’s biggest event to date against Steven Butler
- Ex-IBF 140-pound champion Richardson Hitchins makes his promotional debut in the co-main event against Ricardo Salas
- Check out the best analysis, predictions and bets for the full Zuffa Boxing 09 card below
For just the second time in its seven-month existence, Zuffa Boxing is hosting a landmark event outside of Las Vegas. The UFC-adjacent promotion heads to New York with an eight-fight card headlined by former super middleweight title challenger Edgar Berlanga (23-2) making his debut against Steven Butler (38-5-1).
Former IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins (20-0) also makes his Zuffa Boxing debut in the co-main event, where he takes on top-10-ranked welterweight contender Ricardo Salas (24-2-2). Hitchins, who relinquished the IBF title before signing with Dana White’s promotion, is also moving up to 147 pounds for the first time in his career.
The Sunday night event kicks off at 5 p.m. ET from the Infosys Theater in Madison Square Garden. Rising prospect Jalil Hackett takes on veteran Sergiy Derevyanchenko to begin the main card at 8 p.m. ET.
Zuffa Boxing 09 Fight Card Odds
Although Vegas expects a semi-competitive main event, Berlanga is still given a significant edge in the market. The 29-year-old is listed at -375 to make a successful Zuffa Boxing debut, with the over/under total also favoring a knockout.
Hitchins, the lone former world champion on the card, is the biggest favorite of the night at -900 to beat Salas. The 27-year-old Salas comes back at +500 to pull off the upset.
Odds as of July 25, 2026, on BetMGM Sportsbook. Grab a BetMGM promo code to place a wager, or check out the best boxing apps in 2026.
Edgar Berlanga vs. Steven Butler Prediction
Steven Butler enters this fight riding a four-fight win streak, but he faces a uniquely difficult style matchup against Edgar Berlanga. Butler, a natural middleweight, is noticeably smaller than the 6-foot-1 Brooklyn native. The size difference will be particularly notable once Berlanga begins applying his patented pressure.
Berlanga has become considerably more measured in recent years, but he is still an all-gas, no-breaks type of fighter. That style will suit him well against Butler, who has shown many holes in his defense and does not recover well when he gets hurt.
Although Berlanga is coming off a devastating fifth-round knockout loss to Hamzah Sheeraz, he has only fallen to current or former world champions. At the same time, Butler has gone tooth and nail with fighters he should be rolling through.
Butler will gladly meet Berlanga in the center of the ring, but he lacks the mental and physical capacity to maintain the latter’s pace for all 10 rounds. Zuffa Boxing found Berlanga the right opponent to get a highlight in his debut.
Richardson Hitchins vs. Ricardo Salas Prediction
Unlike Berlanga, Richardson Hitchins is not being given an easy first fight with Zuffa Boxing. Hitchins is inarguably one of the most talented active boxers in the world, but facing an aggressive power puncher like Salas in his welterweight debut is never an easy feat.
Still, Hitchins will have the speed advantage with pristine accuracy and timing on his combinations. The former champion has one of the best jabs in the game and will make the most of that tool to pick off Salas’ wild entries. Salas swings hard but does nothing to really set up his attacks before lunging into range.
While Salas has a solid cardio base, his energy management makes him a very front-loaded fighter who is much more dangerous in the early rounds. Once Hitchins manages the early storm, it will be smooth sailing for him the rest of the way.
Hitchins could very well take out an exhausted Salas, but fighters moving up in weight tend to play it safer than usual. Hitchins’ 40 percent knockout rate is unlikely to improve against the Mexican’s established chin.
Jalil Hackett vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko Prediction
After collecting a hard-fought win in his Zuffa Boxing debut, Jalil Hackett faces the biggest challenge of his young career against former three-time world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko. The 23-year-old is a 2-1 favorite to get the job done against the Ukrainian, against whom he will be 17 years younger with a two-inch height and four-inch reach advantage.
If Hackett beats Dervyanchenko, he will join an elite shortlist of fighters to accomplish the feat. So far, the 40-year-old has only lost to former world champions and title challengers and has yet to be stopped in his 22-fight career.
In his prime, Derevyanchenko would school an over-eager prospect like Hackett. The veteran is never afraid to jump into the fire — the type of fight Hackett craves — but does so with intelligence. Derevyanchenko’s elite awareness, vision and movement have made him a difficult puzzle to solve for even the best fighters in the world.
However, at this point in his career, engaging in that type of fight with Hackett might be asking for too much. Derevyanchenko has only fought once in the last 23 months and clearly lost a step in his most recent victory over a 14-15 opponent.
Aside from the step-up in competition, activity is the biggest concern for Hackett, who is competing for the fourth time in the last 12 months. That work rate is concerning given his gritty fight style and the wars he has gotten himself into lately.
Hackett is still an unfinished product who a crafty vet like Derevyanchenko could expose. But in the type of fight that will likely proceed, Hackett’s youth and activity will be too much for the fading old-timer. Hackett will still struggle to stop Derevyanchenko, who survived 12 rounds against Christian M’billi with one arm.
Otto Wallin vs. Vladyslav Sirenko Prediction
The two newest additions to the Zuffa Boxing heavyweight division, Otto Wallin and Vladyslav Sirenko, end the Sunday night prelims at the Infosys Theater. The well-traveled Wallin owns a slight size advantage and enters the fight as a 2-1 favorite over the former amateur ace. Wallin will also be fighting in familiar territory, having lived in New York for nearly a decade.
Sirenko, once thought by some to be a future title contender, has not fought since suffering an upset loss to Solomon Dacres in July 2025. As an undersized heavyweight, Sirenko made a career out of beating opponents with his speed and athleticism, which Dacres matched.
As a traditional flat-footed heavyweight, Wallin will not replicate Dacres’ game plan and instead relies on his volume, pressure and timely power. The Ukrainian also famously fights with significant grit and an iron chin that once gave a prime Tyson Fury fits.
Wallin will still be much slower than the quick-handed Sirenko and will likely be playing catch-up from the jump. Like most longtime amateur fighters, Sirenko fights with crisp fundamentals and will create angles to make Wallin uncomfortable.
Coming off his first loss, this is a buy-low spot on Sirenko in what could turn out to be a very favorable matchup. Zuffa Boxing might have stumbled upon a fairly valuable diamond in the rough.
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