By Declan Taylor


HAMZAH SHEERAZ is expecting his fight with Liam Williams to be rearranged for February 10th or 24th after requiring four weeks out with a damaged ear.

The pair were supposed to meet at the Copper Box Arena on December 2 but Sheeraz sustained the injury late in one of the final sparring sessions of his Los Angeles training camp.

It meant the fight was postponed with Williams now boxing in a low-key, stay-busy fight on November 24 as he awaits a new date to fight Sheeraz.

And now the 24-year-old from Ilford says the clash will land on one of the weekends either side of Tyson Fury against Oleksandr Usyk on February 17.

He told Boxing News: โ€œIโ€™m on the mend now and looking forward to a new date. Weโ€™re looking either February 10th or 24th. Iโ€™ll be back on track.

โ€œThey got Liam Williams out on another show. There was never a discussion that we would choose a different opponent now, this is still a good fight and the tickets have gone very well. It was only right to make the fight again.

โ€œIt means Iโ€™ll be in LA in camp over Christmas. Iโ€™ll spend the day punching a heavy bag, running up Griffith Park or up the Santa Monica stairs. Iโ€™ll have my own Christmas at the end of Feb.โ€

On the injury, Sheeraz added: โ€œI was sparring in 10 Goose Boxing Gym about two and a half weeks ago, I had a week left until I was due to fly home. Weight was on point and it was one of the last spars in America.

โ€œIt was the 9th or 10th round of the spar and I got kind of slapped on the ear and it popped there and then. I knew immediately that something was wrong and had to stop the spar.

โ€œI went straight to the hospital in my boxing gear, still sweaty – head guard off, groin guard off, gloves off, straight to the hospital. I found out what was wrong and I knew there and then that it would be delayed.

โ€œWhen it happened my balance went and I went deaf. Iโ€™m still a bit deaf now but Iโ€™m just getting my hearing back gradually. They say it will take about four weeks until it will be normal.

โ€œI got the scan done and they said I canโ€™t do any training whatsoever for four to five weeks, which would have taken me up to the date. I canโ€™t even run or anything. I had no choice but to pull out.

โ€œI couldnโ€™t even fly straight home because of my ear. If I could I would have flown back the next day but the doctor said I had to leave it a week and a half before I could get on a plane.

โ€œI havenโ€™t had a single carb for about three weeks because I canโ€™t even train. Iโ€™m just trying to keep the weight down. Everything happens for a reason I guess. Thatโ€™s how Iโ€™m looking at it.โ€