"it was about walking him down and getting out of there"
Hamzah Sheeraz claimed the first world title of his career with a dominant second-round stoppage victory over Alem Begic to win the vacant WBO super-middleweight crown in Egypt.
From the opening bell, the Londoner controlled the fight and quickly exposed the gap in class between the two fighters.
Sheeraz broke Begic down with sharp straight jabs, heavy body shots and accurate uppercuts before ending the contest with a crushing left hook to the body.
Begic failed to beat the count as the referee waved the fight off in the second round.
Sheeraz said: “It was simple – I saw he was very negative from when I landed the first punch.
“After that, it was about walking him down and getting out of there. That is what we’ve done.”
Sheeraz is now the WBO super-middleweight champion and it moves him closer to a potential showdown with Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in 2027.
Alvarez, who watched ringside, is expected to return to the ring against WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli on September 12 in Riyadh.
Hamzah Sheeraz added: “There is boxing royalty ringside and I want to follow in their footsteps.
“I am beating whoever is in front of me. If Canelo wins [against Mbilli], it’s up to him.
“I believe he is one of the ‘GOATs’ of boxing; to share the ring with him would be an honour.
“If I got the opportunity, I would get the win for sure.”
The fight took place on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s world title defence against Rico Verhoeven, with the pyramids of Giza providing a dramatic backdrop.
Although Begic entered the bout unbeaten with 29 wins and one draw, the German was largely unknown to mainstream boxing audiences and struggled to cope with Sheeraz’s precise punches and movement.
From the outset, Sheeraz dictated the pace with a strong jab and repeatedly punished Begic with hooks to the body.
The referee began monitoring Begic closely after a thudding right hook midway through the second round. Moments later, the German collapsed to the canvas in visible pain following the decisive body shot.
Sheeraz had previously fallen short in his first world title attempt at middleweight.
However, he now appears far more settled at super-middleweight and continues to establish himself as one of Britain’s fastest-rising boxing talents.
If a blockbuster clash with Alvarez does not happen, other major unification fights remain available. Jaime Munguia currently holds the WBA belt, while Osleys Iglesias owns the IBF title.
Sheeraz added: “To be honest, I did what I was meant to do. Now it has got me on to the world stage and I am calling on all of the 168-pounders.”
Watch the Highlights
Loading ...