Sheeraz explains brutal stoppage after sensing Begic negativity

Hamzah Sheeraz said he knew his WBO super-middleweight title fight against Alem Begic would end early once he landed his first punch and saw his opponent go negative.

“It was simple - I saw he was very negative from when I landed the first punch. After that it was about walking him down and getting out of there. That is what we've done.”

— Hamzah Sheeraz, via BBC Sport

What Hamzah Sheeraz said

Sheeraz claimed the vacant WBO super-middleweight belt with a stoppage victory. The light-middleweight spoke after the fight about reading Begic's body language from the opening exchanges and adjusting his approach accordingly.

What it moves

Sheeraz told BBC Sport that the finish became inevitable once he identified his opponent's defensive shell. His comments suggest he will carry the same front-foot pressure into his first title defence, though no next opponent has been named.

Source: bbc.com. Full Hamzah Sheeraz fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.