Frank Warren Sees Begic Bout as Launchpad for Sheeraz’s Super Middleweight Takeover

The Belt Shuffle After Crawford

When Crawford vacated the undisputed 168-pound throne, sanctioning bodies moved quickly to fill the void.

• The WBC ordered Sheeraz to face France’s Christian Mbilli for its vacant title.

• The WBO called for negotiations between Sheeraz and unbeaten American contender Diego Pacheco.

Holding leverage in a fragmented championship picture, Team Sheeraz opted for the WBO route largely because of the commercial upside.

“I looked at the American-based box office,” Warren told The Ring. “It had Matchroom, it had us Queensberry. It had all the things that make it work.”

But with purse bids looming, Pacheco stepped away from negotiations. The WBO quickly pivoted to Begic the first available contender and the title fight was finalized.

“Pacheco obviously didn’t want it. He didn’t fancy it,” Warren said bluntly. “So we’ve got the German, Begic.”

A “Very Winnable” Opportunity

Warren didn’t hedge when assessing the matchup.

“For me it’s a very winnable fight,” he said. “He wins that, he gets his title, we’ve delivered and then on to bigger and better things.”

Sheeraz, currently ranked No. 8 by The Ring, enters the bout with momentum and growing confidence at 168 pounds. Many observers view Begic as a solid but beatable stepping stone a formal hurdle before potential unifications with names like Pacheco or Mbilli resurface.

The Berlanga Statement

If there was lingering doubt about Sheeraz’s ceiling following his disappointing draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames a year ago, it was largely erased last July.

In a breakout performance, Sheeraz delivered an emphatic knockout of Edgar Berlanga in the United States — a win Warren believes showcased the benefits of no longer draining to 160 pounds.

“He’s a big guy, he’s got a big frame on him,” Warren said. “I don’t know how he was fighting at middleweight.”

At 6-foot-4 with long levers and natural power, Sheeraz appears physically built for the super middleweight division. The added comfort at the weight has translated into sharper punch resistance, sustained power late into fights, and improved composure under pressure.

The Bigger Picture

Warren has believed in Sheeraz since his early days as a towering junior middleweight prospect. Now 26, the Slough native stands on the verge of fulfilling that promise.

The draw with Adames tested perceptions. The knockout of Berlanga reignited belief. The Begic fight could deliver legitimacy. And in a division searching for its next standard-bearer, Sheeraz has a clear runway. Win the belt. Keep the momentum. Then chase the fights that define eras.