ALMOST as if he had somewhere better to be, Hamzah Sheeraz wasted no time dismantling Tyler Denny in the chief support of Daniel Dubois’ fifth-round stoppage win over Anthony Joshua on September 21.
15 seconds in, he dropped the Birmingham brawler with a left jab and hook combination as the physical differences between them were overwhelming.
A round-and-a-half later, the 25-year-old had more titles draped across him in centre ring after originally being slated to box a world-level opponent on the Riyadh Season: Wembley Edition card in-front of a record-breaking 96,000.
Proposed bouts with Chris Eubank Jr, unified (IBF, WBO) world middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and more failed to materialise with financial demands and leverage the predictable stumbling blocks.
So you could excuse his fatigue at being asked what’s next, having seized an in-form fighter’s EBU European title before vacating it a month later.
Well now, the Ilford resident (21-0, 17 KOs) gets what he’s always wanted: an opportunity for world championship gold against WBC titleholder Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KOs), part of a stacked February 22 bill back in Riyadh, the scene of his most impressive showing at Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams’ expense this summer.
In conversation with Boxing News, decorated boxing coach and commentator Teddy Atlas spoke passionately about what makes Sheeraz such a special talent. The subsequent answer wasn’t one often heard, but made sense.
“His family, character. Everyone talks about the size, height, length – but the way he carries himself as a man with dignity, there’s an inner strength to that and it’ll eventually be brought to the forefront. I know about his attributes, the jab and all, but if you’re going to have success at a high level, you need more.”
Atlas likened that to the age-old discussion surrounding unified (WBC, WBO) light-middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora, who hasn’t utilised his physical gifts particularly well and Brian Mendoza exposed those tendencies to inflict a career-first defeat with a highlight reel knockout in April 2023.
Becoming a world champion is one thing, multiple successful title defences and staying atop the summit once you’ve scaled the mountain is another ask entirely. Fundora’s vulnerabilities leave him viewed as an inevitable loser in a weight class blossoming with new contenders and fresh world-level matchups.
“Fundora is a good example, he didn’t know how to fight tall… did a better job in the Tim Tszyu bout but the cut was a factor there. Hamzah understands his identity, you’ve got to have a consistency about who you are and it’s a box checked here, he understands he has these great physical attributes, he’s going to have to show it now – be efficient, effective, productive on the outside.”
Adames, who began his pro career as a welterweight in 2015, has steadily gone through the divisions and moved up to 160lbs after COVID-19.
Atlas reserved praise for the 30-year-old, urging caution before his second title defence after Jermall Charlo’s transgressions saw him elevated to full champion earlier this year, then defending with a UD12 win over Terrell Gausha in June.
“He’s a strong physical fighter, terrific champion but if he stays on the outside, he isn’t winning! Has to figure out how to get in, and less obvious, getting into range to land without getting tagged or damaged, that’s his mission – can’t afford to get dominated on the outside or the jab.”
