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: “I’m on the mend now and looking forward to a new date. We’re looking either February 10th or 24th. I’ll be back on track.
“They 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.
“It means I’ll be in LA in camp over Christmas. I’ll spend the day punching a heavy bag, running up Griffith Park or up the Santa Monica stairs. I’ll have my own Christmas at the end of Feb.”
On the injury, Sheeraz added: “I 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.
“It 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.
“I 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.
“When it happened my balance went and I went deaf. I’m still a bit deaf now but I’m just getting my hearing back gradually. They say it will take about four weeks until it will be normal.
“I got the scan done and they said I can’t do any training whatsoever for four to five weeks, which would have taken me up to the date. I can’t even run or anything. I had no choice but to pull out.
“I couldn’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.
“I haven’t had a single carb for about three weeks because I can’t even train. I’m just trying to keep the weight down. Everything happens for a reason I guess. That’s how I’m looking at it.”
