Sheeraz dominated the fight from start to finish, sending Berlanga to the canvas three times before the referee stopped the bout in the fifth round. The loss puts Berlanga out of direct contention for a possible matchup with Canelo Alvarez, a fight he'd been chasing for some time.
After the fight, Berlanga took to social media to reflect on his performance. He wrote:
"It was a tough defeat, which in many ways felt unreal. My team and I take full responsibility. I want to congratulate Hamzah Sheeraz on his performance. Boxing is as much mental and spiritual as it is physical. Some nights test everything you have inside, and this was one of them."
Berlanga sees this defeat as a turning point in his career. He vowed to return to the ring with "clarity, hunger and focus," stating that his journey in boxing is far from over.
The loss marks a serious setback for Berlanga's aspirations in the super middleweight division. He'll likely have to face lower-ranked opponents in the short term as he works to rebuild his career. One potential matchup that could help him regain some spotlight is a fight with Caleb Plant, who's also looking to bounce back after recent setbacks.
In an unfortunate postscript to the fight, Berlanga's promoter Oscar De La Hoya posted a video on social media mocking his fighter. De La Hoya wore a wig, poking fun at objects Berlanga had thrown during a previous press conference. The move came after Berlanga had called De La Hoya a "stripper," highlighting the tension in their relationship.
As Berlanga looks to recover from this defeat, he'll need to refocus and work hard to regain his position among the elite contenders in the super middleweight division. The road back to the top won't be easy, but Berlanga seems determined to make the climb.