Promoter Eddie Hearn said he had no idea where he could go if he was knocked down by super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga next month in the headlines at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens next month.
Sheeraz: British fan appeal
Hearn points out that if he loses to Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOS), Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOS) will return to the UK domestic stage. Berlanga-Sheeraz is two fighters in the 2026 Canelo Alvarez raffle.
The winner of the fight has a chance to fight the Mexican superstar next year, Hearn said. Sheeraz hasn’t fought Canelo yet, and if he could win with Edgar somehow, he would be a better choice.
Sheeraz will attract British fans, which will cause great interest in the conflict with Alvarez. Berlanga has had a chance to play against Canelo and foiled it by playing safely and trying to survive. Our boxing fans don’t want to see a rematch between them. A lifetime was enough.
“You’re going to 168. If you’re out of 168, where are you going?” Eddie Hearn Ring Magazine About Hamzah Sheeraz faced in his battle with Edgar Berlanga on July 12. “You want to win the world championship. You’ve lost your way at the world level. You’ve returned to the domestic scene.”
Sheeraz’s last fight with Carlos Adames has shown that he is not world-class. In the UK, he will still be above domestic levels, but not at world-class levels. Hamzah’s performance against Adames and Austin’Ammo’ Williams shows that he’s below the top level.
Canelo Alvarez lottery 2026
“His Excellency (Turki Alalshikh) is looking for Canelo in 2026, and Hamzah Sheeraz is very sales. It’s a great story. He has been a big part of the Riyadh season,” Hearn said. “It’s a big moment for Hamzah Sheeraz. I think Andy Lee’s new coach is one of the best coaches in the world. If they get this game plan correctly, they can beat Edgar Berlanga. But it’s going to be a very dangerous battle.”
For the two fighters, fighting against Canelo in 2026 seems bad. Berlanga has lost to him in his unilateral decision in 2024. Even if Hamzah wins against Edgar on July 12, he shouldn’t fight Alvarez.
Berlanga is more of a prospect than a true contender at this stage of his career. Check out his best win and judge for yourself:
– Jason Quigley
– Padraig McCrory
– Jonathan Gonzalez – Ortiz: 36
– Roamer Alexis Angulo: 41
– Steve Rolls: 40
-Marcelo Coceres: 34
– Demond Nicholson
Berlanga is more of a marketing project than a real fighter. He was created by his initiator, not truly world-class. As an amateur, 23-12 record, matched the highest ranking with 16 canned tomatoes at the beginning of his career, trying to turn him into an East Coast star in an easy way. If Sheeraz beats Berlanga, there is nothing. Then, if he wants to fight Canelo, he should start fighting against a quality competitor.
“When Edgar Berlanga really believed in himself and fantasized about the job, he was dangerous. I think he thought he would play against Hamzah Sheeraz and knock him down,” Hearn said.
Sheeraz’s 168 first challenge
Berlanga fought Sheeraz at the right time, and he made his debut in 168. Sheeraz’s final performance was brutal to WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in Riyadh last February and he was lucky to have a draw. Most boxing fans win.
At 168, there were better fighters than Sheeraz, but whoever participated in the competition brought Berlanga a lucky break. They could have brought him to a good man who would have gone toward another loss.
Last updated on June 18, 20125
