What’s Next For Hamzah Sheeraz?

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 1:52 AM ET

Hamzah Sheeraz knocked out Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round as we look at what is next for the British boxer.

Sheeraz dropped Berlanga in rounds four and five to make an emphatic start to his life in the 168-pound division. The performance was the perfect response following the controversial split draw against Carlos Adames in his last fight, where many felt Sheeraz was lucky not to suffer a defeat. Now, he can target the leading names at 168.

Options

Sheeraz is being linked with a fight against Canelo Alvarez. The Mexican is currently preparing to face Terence Crawford on September 13 in a defense of his Undisputed Super Middleweight Title. Canelo has said he wants to fight in England before he retires amid links with a Chris Eubank Jr. fight. However, Sheeraz has arguably got more of a claim to that fight, given his introduction to the 168 division. Unlike Canelo, who couldn’t stop Berlanga, Sheeraz made no mistake.

Alternatively, Sheeraz could target the other leading contenders, such as Christian Mbilli. The latter is the WBC Interim Super Middleweight Champion, with an undefeated 29-0 record with 24 KOs to his name. Mbilli’s biggest win is arguably against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, as the super middleweight targets the biggest names. Sheeraz knows a win would make him an interim champion, putting him closer to a title shot against Canelo.

There is also the Caleb Plant fight. Plant is the former IBF Super Middleweight Champion, who is not in the best form. Since his first loss to Canelo, Plant has only won two of his last four bouts. Defeats to David Benavidez and an upset loss against Jose Armando Resendiz in his last fight have raised question marks over Plant’s form. However, he is still a big name, giving Sheeraz a chance to earn a win against elite-level opposition. Either way, Sheeraz is ready for the biggest fights.

The Future

“All the organizations are going to put [Sheeraz] in at No. 1 anyway. They’ll do that on the strength of this performance. What will happen then will happen. Would anybody like to see [Sheeraz] against the winner of the September fight? Of course they would, because of what he said just now. “Whoever he fights, he’s not a runner.

“He comes and fights. He’s got a big heart, and he’s a big puncher and he’s an exciting fighter. I’ve never seen him in a dull fight when he’s at his best. He’s announced himself certainly on the New York stage but on the world stage. Obviously from our perspective all eyes will be on that fight in September between Canelo and Crawford,” Frank Warren said

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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