Latest news with #Canelo
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Hamzah Sheeraz or Chris Eubank Jr - who will get the next shot at Canelo?
As soon as one fight is over, the modern boxer instantly eyes up their next move in the sweet science. Bouts are frequently confirmed and announced inside the ring moments after a winner is pronounced, whilst some champions are promoting future fights before they have faced their next scheduled opponent. Hamzah Sheeraz went into his clash with Edgar Berlanga knowing that victory would take him one step closer to a fight with Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez, Saturday night's bout an eliminator for the WBC super middleweight title. In the build-up to the fight, Berlanga often made reference to the fact that Sheeraz was supposedly in line for a shot at the undisputed champion at 168lbs, a position strengthened post-fight by boxing's kingmaker Turki Alalshikh. Despite Alalshikh's fondness for Sheeraz, the chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority has previously hinted at the Londoner's fellow Brit, Chris Eubank Jr, facing Canelo. Like Canelo, who faces Terence Crawford in one of the most anticipated fights in the 21st century, Eubank Jr is already scheduled to fight in September, the Eubank-Benn family rivalry reignited in a rematch with Conor Benn. But looking past September's fights, who is likelier to face Canelo – rising star Sheeraz, or veteran Chris Eubank Jr? The case for Hamzah Sheeraz Hamzah Sheeraz has a big advantage in securing a fight with Canelo. He is clearly favoured by Turki Alalshikh, as evidenced by his frequent involvement on Riyadh Season cards. Whilst the Londoner's knockout of Edgar Berlanga stole the show during The Ring's third promotion, it was a slight surprise to see a non-world title fight headline a card featuring lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Alalshikh is obviously keen to push Sheeraz as much as possible, and his plans for a fight with Canelo seem far more concrete than his previous comments on a match-up between Álvarez and Eubank Jr. The fact that Canelo's upcoming bout with Terence Crawford marks the second of a four-fight deal with Alalshikh suggests that boxing's kingmaker holds more negotiating power when it comes to teeing up a clash between the Mexican and Sheeraz. He took to social media after Sheeraz's victory on Saturday, stating the 26-year-old deserved to face Canelo in 2026. Hamzah now deserves Canelo in 2026🔥🥊 — TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) July 13, 2025 In his post-fight interview, Sheeraz still spoke of the fight as a possibility, rather than a certainty. Sheeraz commented: "I'm not gonna sit here and loudmouth someone like [Canelo], but it would be an honour to share the ring with him. It genuinely would. Someone who, like I said, I've looked up to. 'And the next thing you know, you're in the ring with them. Do you know what I mean? So, like I said, it's an accomplishment itself. But one thing I can guarantee is if I do ever share the ring with Canelo, it's not gonna be the case of what happened in his last fight [against William Scull], where his opponent was trying to run. "I promise you guys, like it's on camera here, even if I get knocked out, I will stand there and trade with him at the end of the day. Do you know what I mean? 'So, I'll put on a good performance, because that's what it's about … being great, daring to be great. And I know I'll do just that." The case for Chris Eubank Jr Chris Eubank Jr started his boxing career away from the UK to avoid the weight of his family name, the super middleweight named after his world champion father Chris Eubank. However, even 'Next Gen' could not deny the benefits of having boxing royalty for a father. Despite his lack of world title fights, Eubank Jr has always been able to command a high profile, with his name recognised both sides of the Atlantic. Although Canelo's name alone can sell a fight, the Mexican has proven to be just as canny a businessman as he is a boxer, and Álvarez will know that a fight with Eubank Jr will likely generate more money than a bout against Sheeraz. The timelines also line up, with Canelo facing Terence Crawford on September 13, a week before Eubank Jr's rematch with Conor Benn. Canelo and Eubank Jr are also in the mid-thirties, at 34 and 35 respectively, likely meaning that they will need similar recovery times before returning to the ring to face each other. Both Eubank Jr's manager, Elliott Amoakoh, and promoter, Ben Shalom, have spoken with confidence about a fight with Canelo being made after facing Benn for a second time. In June, Amoakah told talkSPORT: 'Hopefully Canelo gets through Terence Crawford, we get through Conor Benn and then they'll do it next. 'So that's the negotiations going on right now. Turki [Alalshikh] promised it to us. If Chris comes through that, Eubank Jr-Canelo, here we go. That's what we want. We get through Conor Benn and then we want Canelo.' The only sticking point is that rematch with Benn. Although Eubank Jr took a unanimous decision victory over his rival, it came at great physical cost. Another all-out war not only carries the danger of further excessive wear and tear, but also a loss to Benn. Defeat could impact Eubank Jr's stock – or lead to a trilogy bout with Benn, rather than a match-up with Canelo. Could Canelo end up fighting both Hamzah Sheeraz and Chris Eubank Jr? Canelo's desire for a stadium fight in the UK possibly opens the door for another fight against a Brit. Despite enjoying a healthy record over British fighters, Álvarez has never fought in the UK, with his eight victories over Brits taking place in the US and Mexico. For example, if Canelo was to fight Sheeraz out in the States, perhaps afterwards the 'Brit Basher' could make his Wembley dream come true with a bout against Eubank Jr under the arch. Although helped by the rivalry with Conor Benn, Eubank Jr has proven that he is a headlining-draw in the UK, having sold out stadiums before. Ultimately, Canelo will likely pick opponents that generate the most money - with Sheeraz's Saudi backing and Eubank Jr's name-appeal, both fighters could yet share the ring with the face of boxing. Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Radical plan for Canelo vs Crawford undercard teased by Turki Alalshikh
The undercard for Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez 's super-fight with Terence Crawford could take place across 'two or three days', according to boxing chief Turki Alalshikh. Canelo is due to defend the undisputed super-middleweight titles against Crawford on 13 September, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The bout will see Crawford, 37, reach a career-highest weight of 167lb, as the American bids to become a three-division undisputed champion. Standing in his way is 34-year-old Mexican Canelo, who recently regained undisputed status at super-middleweight. And a special, if somewhat contrived, match-up is set to have a special undercard as well. While no undercard bouts have been announced, Saudi adviser Alalshikh is known for facilitating strong match-ups, and he has shared a unique idea for how September's undercard could play out. 'The undercard, it will be between two or three days,' Alalshikh told The Ring, a magazine that he owns. 'Imagine, for two or three days. 'We have now reached more than 20 fights to do on the undercard, and 90... 95 per cent per cent of this card is talent and people around the world [who] have a very big chance to be a star in the future. '[Thursday, Friday,] then Saturday. It must be something like this [a fight festival].' Canelo vs Crawford was originally due to take place on Friday 12 September, but it was then moved back by one day. It will now clash with a UFC Fight Night, despite the fact that UFC president Dana White is a co-promoter of Canelo vs Crawford.
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz crushes Edgar Berlanga to announce 168lb arrival
Rising British star Hamzah Sheeraz made an explosive arrival to boxing's super middleweight division on Saturday night, stopping Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round of their bout at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. The destructive performance marked a resounding debut at 168lb for the 26-year-old from Ilford and dramatically altered the landscape of a weight class ruled by Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez. Fighting in the main event of a Ring Magazine card staged on the No 2 show court of the US Open tennis tournament, Sheeraz dropped Berlanga twice in the fourth round before closing the show 17 seconds into the fifth. It was the kind of showcase that not only silences critics but instantly propels a fighter from prospect to contender – and in this case, into potential lucrative matchups with the likes of Álvarez or David Benavidez. The setting for Sheeraz's career-best win was just as striking as the action. For the first time, the grounds of the US Open hosted a professional boxing card, transforming Louis Armstrong Stadium from the spiritual home of American tennis into a midsummer prizefighting stage. Originally slated for Central Park, the event instead brought Turki al-Sheikh's Ring series indoors beneath the stadium's retractable roof, offering welcome relief from New York's July swelter and a robust turnout that filled the lower bowl and pushed into the second tier. The scene was crackling with energy – a sharp contrast from May's sparsely attended Times Square card – and a fitting capstone to a boxing-heavy weekend in New York that had begun with Katie Taylor's win over Amanda Serrano on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) was making his super middleweight bow after a disappointing split draw against Carlos Adames at 160lb in February. In the wake of that result, he enlisted former middleweight champion Andy Lee as his trainer and moved up in weight. Both decisions looked inspired on Saturday. After a slow first three rounds, Sheeraz took control in the fourth. He slipped under a Berlanga uppercut and countered with a left hook that sent the Brooklyn native crashing flat onto his back and half under the ropes. Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) beat the count but never recovered. Seconds later, Sheeraz dropped him again with a crisp left-right combination that sent him clattering to the canvas, seemingly more dazed than defiant. The bell temporarily spared Berlanga, but Sheeraz needed just one more salvo in the fifth – a right-left that left Berlanga sagging – to prompt referee David Fields' rightful intervention. 'I promise you, I swear to you, whoever was in the ring with me today, there was no stopping me,' Sheeraz said afterward. 'The amount of abuse I got after the last fight made me a hungrier fighter.' The difference in class and composure was evident. Berlanga's only claim to fame was going the distance with Álvarez in 2023. On Saturday, he was overwhelmed against the taller, rangier Briton who accomplished what Canelo couldn't. The power that once led him to 16 straight first-round knockouts never materialized, while his defense left wide gaps for Sheeraz to exploit. He has now been stopped for the first time in his career and leaves with more questions than answers about his future. Sheeraz, on the other hand, looks like a genuine threat in a stacked weight class. His size, reach, and poise – not to mention his jab, which he used masterfully in the early rounds – suggest he belongs among the elite. Whether Álvarez, Benavidez or someone else will be next remains to be seen. But on a night where the crowd nearly filled the second deck of the 14,000-seat stadium, he managed to win them over despite the hometown credentials of his Brooklyn-bred victim. In the co-feature bout, Shakur Stevenson turned in one of the more entertaining performances of his career, defeating Mexico's William Zepeda by unanimous decision to retain his WBC lightweight title. The ringside judges handed down scores of 119–109 and 118–110 (twice), but the fight was more spirited than the cards suggest. Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) came into the ring under intense pressure to deliver a more fan-friendly performance after a widely panned win over Artem Harutyunyan last July. On Saturday, he answered that criticism by standing his ground, exchanging with one of the division's more aggressive fighters and showcasing both his technical mastery and his tenacity. 'I came in here to prove a point,' Stevenson said in the ring. 'It wasn't the performance I was looking for because I came in here to try and fight, so I took more punishment than usual. But I proved that I'm a dog.' Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) landed more power punches on Stevenson than any previous opponent, including a hard straight right in the third round that appeared to stun the 2016 Olympic silver medallist. Yet Stevenson responded with poise and precision, unloading crisp counters and blinding combinations that repeatedly turned Zepeda's head and backed him up. As early as the second round, Stevenson was standing in the pocket, trading head shots while slipping and rolling Zepeda's best body work in his signature Philly shell defense. In the middle rounds, he took over completely, doubling and tripling up on the jab, then following with sharp lefts and uppercuts. Zepeda remained game, pressing forward and refusing to wilt, but Stevenson's craft gradually dismantled the Mexican's offense. By the 10th, the challenger's output had slowed and Stevenson began using his legs more sparingly, clinching only when absolutely necessary. For Stevenson, the fight marked a reassertion of dominance in a 135lb division where a unification bout with Gervonta Davis looms as one of the sport's most compelling matchups. Earlier in the evening, Subriel Matías captured the vacant WBC super lightweight title with a majority decision over the previously unbeaten Alberto Puello, while Cuban light heavyweight David Morrell showed grit to rally from a fifth-round knockdown and edge Imam Khataev on a split decision.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Edgar Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz LIVE RESULTS: Brit scores BRUTAL KO victory and could face Canelo after Stevenson win
HAMZAH SHEERAZ produced the best performance of his career to score a BRUTAL KO win over Edgar Berlanga! The Brit, who stepped up in weight, bounced back from a controversial draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in the best fashion - smashing Berlanga out in round five after knocking him down twice in round four. Sheeraz is now in line to face Saul Alvarez for his WBC super-middleweight title as the mandatory challenger, although Canelo faces Terence Crawford first in September. The fight comes after Shakur Stevenson defended his WBC lightweight title with a brilliant performance against William Zepeda - winning a wide unanimous decision. Follow ALL the action from the Louis Armstrong Stadium with our live blog below… 5 minutes ago By Tom Sheen 'Scary' Sheeraz's new trainer Andy Lee was absolutely buzzing with that performance. He told DAZN: "So much potential. "It's scary how far he can go." 10 minutes ago By Tom Sheen Canelo situation Well, Hamzah Sheeraz is now the mandatory for Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's WBC super-middleweight title. But that doesn't necessarily mean he will be fighting him in the very near future. Canelo has some business to attend to first. The Mexican superstar will take on Terence Crawford in one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year. That fight takes place on September 13. 17 minutes ago By Jack Figg Canelo soon? Hamzah Sheeraz says: "Canelo is a boxing hero of mine. For my name to be mentioned in the same sentence is a great achievement. "If it does happen I'll stand in the middle and have it out with him. "Massive thank you to Andy Lee. "Them first few rounds I was losing but we had a plan. "I told him to trust me and he did, so thank you. "I swear to you, whoever was in the ring with me today there was no stopping me." Today, 03:19 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 10 Stevenson moving from corner to corner as Zepeda walks him down. Zepeda pushing forward but Stevenson holding his own. Really tight heading into the final two rounds. Today, 03:14 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 9 Lovely right hook from Stevenson. Zepeda walking Stevenson down but the champion rallies back with a combination of his own. Today, 03:11 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 8 Stevenson sits in the pocket and lets his hands go. It's blow for blow shots on the inside, no one expected this from Stevenson. After eight rounds it's all to play for. Today, 03:02 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 6 One-two combo lands for Stevenson but Zepeda comes straight back. Another combination for Stevenson, much better work for the champion. Today, 02:58 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 5 Stevenson backed to the ropes again, ships some punishment but lands a body shot in response. Three punch combination lands for Stevenson, much more positive. Today, 02:55 By Jack Figg Stevenson vs Zepeda – Round 4 Stevenson backed into the ropes as Zepeda pours the pressure on but nothing of note lands. It's Stevenson's turn to rock Zepeda's chin back with a combination but the champ does not follow up with it. Stevenson does not look comfortable holding his feet and brawling. Got to get back to boxing at range on the backfoot.
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Hamzah Sheeraz out to earn dream Canelo Alvarez fight and tempt boxing legend to UK by beating Edgar Berlanga
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAMZAH SHEERAZ is out to silence American loudmouth Edgar Berlanga and earn a shot at Canelo Alvarez in one fell swoop. The Londoner moves up to super-middleweight on Saturday in New York to face Berlanga - who was dominated over 12 rounds by Canelo last September. 4 Hamzah Sheeraz wants to fight Canelo Alvarez Credit: Getty 4 Canelo has teased a UK debut fight in the past Credit: Getty And already Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh is lining up Sheeraz as a future opponent for Canelo - who is signed to a four-bout deal. Without the backing of Alalshikh, Sheeraz would just be another in the long queue to fight boxing's biggest superstar. And he told SunSport: "It's good because listen, it gives that extra added motivation to really do well in this fight and that's the plan. 'Get the W and then on to bigger and better things, to solidify myself, cement myself as an official 168 pounder. READ MORE IN BOXING FOOD FIGHT Sheeraz had too many cheat meals after moving up despite sacrificing Coca-Cola "Someone who's kind of worthy of being in the ring with him, do you know what I mean? 'So, Edgar Berlanga is the man in the way, stopping that. So he's next in line.' Canelo, 34, faces unbeaten Terence Crawford, 37, on September 13 in their blockbuster Las Vegas undisputed title fight. But the four-division champ has insisted he wants to fight in the UK before he closes out his iconic career. 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Sheeraz is one of Canelo's very limited options to face on British soil - and grins at the prospect of welcoming the modern great across the pond. He said: "I mean it makes sense, wouldn't it? Hamzah Sheeraz admits to having one too many cheat meals after moving in weight despite sacrificing beloved Coca-Cola 'It makes sense especially with it being his last few fights, it'd be great, it'd be an honour. "But as for now, like I said, for all that to be a reality, the buck stops with Berlanga.' Berlanga once recorded 16 straight first-round stoppages and looked to be one of boxing's most fierce prospects. But the KO streak died down - as did the hype around the New Yorker's name - despite the winning run continuing. That was until he met Canelo last year in Vegas, losing a decision after being dropped with a left hook in round three. Berlanga - who bounced back with a straight forward first-round stoppage in March - has been accused of dining out on his loss to Canelo. And the brash Brooklynite - of Puerto Rican descent - has gone on the vocal front foot in a bid to intimidate Sheeraz. But the well-mannered Brit - getting his first taste of Yank trash-talking - is soaking it all in like the greats did before him. Sheeraz said: 'He thinks he's an American, rapper or something, doesn't he? Each to their own, though I'm not judging. 'It's good because when you're a youngster watching all these American fights and whatnot, overseas fights when I was in the UK, you see all this drama and you see all these brash Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Americans on the whole. 'Now that I'm here fighting one, it's good. I'm cherishing every moment and come July, pretty sure I'm gonna do the job.'
