Hamzah Sheeraz made a big splash in the super-middleweight division on Saturday night. The unbeaten 26-year-old stopped Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City.
Sheeraz showed he's ready for the big time in his first fight at 168 pounds. He floored Berlanga twice in the fourth round before closing the show in devastating fashion in the fifth.
For Berlanga, known as "The Chosen One," it's a tough setback. The former world title challenger has now lost twice in less than a year.
Two-weight world champion Timothy Bradley had high praise for Sheeraz's performance. Bradley said on his YouTube channel:
"Congratulations Sheeraz man, for real, you earned my respect bro, for real. That's how you bounce back, and you showed everybody bro, including myself, that you are the real deal, so congratulations to you and your new team …"
Bradley also offered some advice to the rising star:
"Stay focused bro, for real, keep your eyes on the prize man, for real, you know what I mean?"
The win puts Sheeraz in a great position in the division. There's even talk of a potential showdown with Canelo Alvarez in early 2026. But Bradley thinks that might be a tough sell:
"I personally don't think Canelo's gonna wanna fight you, I ain't gonna wanna fight you, I personally believe he's not gonna wanna fight you."
Speaking of Canelo, he's got a big fight coming up. The pound-for-pound star will face Terence Crawford on Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Sheeraz's impressive win over Berlanga has certainly shaken up the super-middleweight landscape. It'll be interesting to see what's next for this rising star.
