Hamzah Sheeraz has burst onto the world stage as one of Britain’s most promising boxing talents in recent years, compiling an impressive undefeated record of 21 wins and 1 draw. The young middleweight sensation, born on May 25, 1999, had been on a remarkable run, securing 17 of his 21 victories by knockout, showcasing his formidable power and potential.
His path to a world title hit a stumbling block in February 2025, when he battled to a hard-fought split decision draw against then-WBC World Middleweight Champion Carlos Adames (24-1-0, 18 KOs) in Saudi Arabia. The highly anticipated contest, which took place on February 22, 2025, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, saw Sheeraz, then 25 years old, challenge for his first major world title. The judges’ scorecards reflected the close and contentious nature of the bout, reading 115-114 for Sheeraz, 118-110 for Adames, and 114-114, resulting in a split draw and allowing Adames to retain his WBC Middleweight Championship.
Sheeraz admitted that his performance, his first time fighting for a world title, fell short of the standards he had set for himself, but he embraced it as a valuable learning experience for future opportunities. Prior to this, Sheeraz had built significant momentum, including an 11th-round TKO victory over Austin Williams in June 2024 in a WBC middleweight title eliminator, and a second-round TKO win against Tyler Denny in September 2024 to claim the European, Commonwealth, and WBC “Silver” middleweight titles. He subsequently vacated his European title in November 2024 in anticipation of a world title shot.
However, he found it difficult to witness the reactions of some people he had considered close to him following the draw with Adames.
“What kind of didn’t sit right with me was the people I had around me instead of being there was sending me the invoices to get paid, it was a harsh reality,” said Sheeraz to First Round TV.
A New Corner and a Divisional Shift
The 25-year-old wasted no time in making changes to his team after the draw, opting to link up with trainer Andy Lee, a former middleweight world champion himself. Lee has garnered significant acclaim in recent years for guiding fighters like former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and rising light-heavyweight talent Ben Whittaker to major victories.
“I’ve watched Andy quite a few times being a middleweight and a world champion,” said Sheeraz on the move.
“So I thought let’s get in touch with him and go and see him out in Ireland, met him and watched him train and I like what I saw and we got on. I feel like he can definitely add a lot to my game and someone I see myself finishing my career with.”
Beyond the change in trainers, Sheeraz also made a strategic decision to move up in weight, transitioning from middleweight to the super-middleweight division. This move was a significant step, signaling his ambition to challenge for titles in a new weight class.
Sheeraz Dominates Berlanga in Super Middleweight Debut
Hamzah Sheeraz returned to action in July 2025, making his super-middleweight debut against Edgar Berlanga (23-1-0, 18 KOs) at the iconic Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. Berlanga, known for his knockout power, had only suffered one career defeat prior to this bout, a unanimous decision loss to undisputed super-middleweight world champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in September 2024. Berlanga had bounced back from that loss with a first-round TKO victory over Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz in March 2025, setting the stage for a compelling clash with Sheeraz.
The fight, a WBC super-middleweight title eliminator, proved to be a spectacular statement for Sheeraz. After a tense opening, Sheeraz delivered a crushing performance, dropping Berlanga twice in the fourth round. He then wasted no time in the fifth, immediately going on the offensive and securing a brutal knockout victory just 17 seconds into the round, sending Berlanga to the canvas for the third and final time. This impressive win not only extended Sheeraz’s undefeated record to 22-0-1 (18 KOs) but also marked Berlanga’s first career stoppage loss.
Implications and the Canelo Dream
The victory over Berlanga was a pivotal moment for Sheeraz, solidifying his position as a major force in the super-middleweight division. The win made him the mandatory challenger for the WBO super-middleweight title, currently held by Canelo Alvarez. This sets up a potential blockbuster clash with the Mexican superstar, a fight Sheeraz has openly coveted. When asked where he sees himself in 18 months, the British middleweight responded simply: ‘Fighting Canelo Alvarez.’
Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) is widely regarded as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best, having achieved undisputed status at super-middleweight. After his win over Berlanga in September 2024, Canelo went on to defeat William Scull via unanimous decision in May 2025. However, he subsequently suffered a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford in an undisputed super-middleweight championship bout on September 13, 2025. Despite this recent setback, a fight with Canelo remains a monumental challenge and a career-defining opportunity for Sheeraz.
Sheeraz’s decisive victory over Berlanga, a fighter Canelo himself couldn’t
