AS a result of his stunning fifth-round stoppage victory last Saturday, Hamzah Sheeraz was immediately promised a shot at super-middleweight king Canelo Alvarez in 2026.
At this stage, all we have to go off is a social media post from Turki Alalshikh, yet it seems that whatever the boxing paymaster says, no matter how far-fetched it may sound, will typically come to fruition.
First, Canelo, 63-2-2 (39 KOs), must focus on the small matter of a showdown with Terence Crawford, which will take place at the Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, on September 13.
As for Sheeraz, who is riding the crest of a wave after pummelling Edgar Berlanga, an interim fight at 168lbs could make perfect sense.
Here, Boxing News considers three potential opponents for the 26-year-old, before he enters what should be a mammoth occasion next year.
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Diego Pacheco
While speaking with Boxing News, Jose Benavidez Sr, who trains super-middleweight contender Diego Pacheco, insisted that he would welcome a mouth-watering clash with Sheeraz.
An encounter between the two towering boxer-punchers would, indeed, make for an intriguing matchup, particularly when considering their ferocious power and diverse range of attacks.
At any point, either fighter could find themselves staring up at the stars, but equally, a high-octane chess match could quite easily unfold.
With Pacheco, 23-0 (18 KOs), expected to come through his assignment against Trevor McCumby this Saturday, too, a dustup against Sheeraz could emerge as an appealing option for around December time.
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Christian Mbilli
In the weird and wacky world that is boxing, where logic seems to carry little meaning, Sheeraz has become the mandatory challenger for Christian Mbilli.
As infuriating as it may prove, we do, in fact, operate in a sport where decisions are often plucked from thin air, and in this case, the WBC interim champion has, bizarrely enough, been burdened with another obstacle to overcome.
Regardless of the political catastrophe involved, though, a battle between Sheeraz and Mbilli, 29-0 (24 KOs), would certainly get fans’ sadistic juices flowing.
Should the pair lock horns, pure violence, along with a touch of skill, is likely to materialise. But, like Pacheco, Mbilli represents a risk that is perhaps not worth taking.
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Bektemir Melikuziev
With a name that hardly rolls off the tongue, Bektemir Melikuziev will not exactly find it easy to secure a meaningful opportunity.
Based purely on his style, however, the 29-year-old could emerge as a bold but calculated option for Sheeraz, whose superior boxing brain should see him boast a sizable advantage if they ever square off.
To his credit, Melikuziev, 16-1 (10 KOs), does possess a refined set of tools, sharp enough to capitalise on the mistakes of a less defensively proficient operator.
At the same time, though, the WBA mandatory challenger often allows himself to get sucked into a phone booth-style war, which, given the sharp-shooting skills of Sheeraz, would likely contribute to his downfall.
