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Philippines, 13 Jul 2025 |
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Hamzah Sheeraz Demolishes Edgar Berlanga in Stunner, Becomes Mandatory Challenger to Canelo Alvarez By Dong Secuya PhilBoxing.com Sun, 13 Jul 2025  United Kingdom's Hamzah Sheeraz made an emphatic statement in his highly anticipated United States debut, delivering a brutal fifth-round stoppage of popular Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga. The super middleweight clash at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) saw Sheeraz not only secure a dominant victory but also vault himself into mandatory challenger status for Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez’s WBC super middleweight belt, a title Alvarez holds alongside the IBF, WBA, and WBO straps. The victory, following a hard-fought split draw against Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title in Riyadh last February, sees Sheeraz improve his undefeated record to 22-0-1 with 18 knockouts. For Berlanga, this marks his second professional defeat, dropping his record to 23-2-0 with 18 knockouts. Fight Breakdown: Sheeraz's Measured Destruction From the opening bell, the fight showcased a fascinating contrast of styles, with Sheeraz, making his super middleweight debut under new trainer Andy Lee, looking to establish his longer reach against the hard-hitting Berlanga. Round 1: Sheeraz quickly found his range, skimming Berlanga with a pair of left hands in the first minute. He partially connected with two more shots shortly after. Berlanga, however, responded with a stiff jab, and while he evaded a Sheeraz combination, he took two left hooks to the body and head. A straight right from Berlanga landed on Sheeraz's chin, and the round concluded with Berlanga just missing a wide left hook. It was a competitive opener as both men settled in. Round 2: Berlanga opened the second with a nice jab, but Sheeraz retorted with a short right. Berlanga continued to find a home for his stiff jab on Sheeraz's chin. Sheeraz partially connected with a long right, and Berlanga seemed comfortable working up close. Sheeraz then caught Berlanga with a left hook, followed by a jab. Berlanga, known for his power, couldn't afford to switch off, connecting with a pair of hooks on Sheeraz's guard. The round remained close, signaling a tightly contested fight. Round 3: Berlanga started strong again, opening with a pair of left hands. Sheeraz found a left hook around Berlanga's guard early on. Berlanga went back to his jab, out-jabbing Sheeraz despite being the shorter man. They exchanged lefts on the inside at the one-minute mark. Berlanga continued to slip under Sheeraz's long right hand, finding consistent success with his left hand as both a jab and a hook through the first three rounds. However, a significant moment saw Sheeraz lift Berlanga's chin with a short uppercut, followed by a left hook, hinting at the power to come. Round 4: Berlanga Down Twice! The turning point arrived dramatically in the final minute of the fourth round. Sheeraz landed a brilliant left hook that rattled Berlanga, following up with two more hooks that sent the Puerto Rican super middleweight to the canvas for the first time. Berlanga bravely rose to his feet, but Sheeraz immediately pounced, continuing to land big power shots. A clean right hand from Sheeraz floored Berlanga for a second time. Although Berlanga showed immense heart to get back to his feet, he was clearly in trouble and was saved by the bell. Round 5: The Stoppage. Sheeraz wasted no time in the fifth round, unleashing a relentless assault. A left hook, followed by a right hand and another crushing right hand, sent Berlanga crashing to the canvas for the third time in two rounds. This time, the referee had seen enough, waving off the contest. The impressive display of power and precision from Sheeraz brought an end to the fight at 1:59 of the fifth round. The victory was a stunning statement from Hamzah Sheeraz. Notably, even Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, was unable to stop Berlanga when they met. Sheeraz's emphatic knockout now firmly establishes him as a legitimate force at 168 pounds and positions him for the biggest fight of his career against the division's kingpin, Canelo Alvarez. The boxing world will eagerly await what comes next for the rapidly rising British star. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.  |
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