Hamzah Sheeraz Makes Explosive Super Middleweight Debut, Knocks Out Edgar Berlanga in Queens

The super middleweight division just got a serious shake-up. England’s Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 17 KOs) announced his arrival at 168 pounds with a thunderous fifth-round knockout of Edgar Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) on Saturday night at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The performance not only erased doubts stemming from Sheeraz’s controversial draw in a middleweight title bout earlier this year but also earned him mandatory status for Canelo Alvarez’s WBO title.

Sheeraz didn’t just win he made a statement, and perhaps more importantly, a promise: “There was nothing stopping me tonight.” Coming off a highly disputed draw against Carlos Adames, Sheeraz entered this fight under pressure to prove that he belonged on the elite level. That performance left fans and critics questioning his readiness for championship contention. But rather than shrink under the scrutiny, Sheeraz used it as fuel.

“The amount of abuse I got on social media and in person… it made me a hungry fighter,” Sheeraz admitted post-fight. “This performance was about redemption.” The fight began with a tense chess match. Berlanga, the Brooklyn native known for his early-career knockout streak and physicality, looked composed through the early rounds. His jab was sharp, and he met Sheeraz in the clinch with physical authority. But by Round 4, the tide turned.

After absorbing a flush left hook from Berlanga, Sheeraz responded with precision and power. He began to hammer away with overhand rights, sneaking through Berlanga’s guard. A vicious left hook followed by a clean two-punch combination sent Berlanga crashing to the canvas late in the round. Moments later, another flurry dropped him again. Though saved by the bell, Berlanga looked unsteady. And Sheeraz wasn’t about to let him off the hook.

Just 17 seconds into Round 5, Sheeraz uncorked a thunderous right cross after a blocked left hook, sending Berlanga flat to the mat. Referee David Fields waved off the fight without a count. The win didn’t just mark Sheeraz’s arrival in a new division — it marked his arrival as a legitimate star in the making. Under the guidance of new trainer Andy Lee, the former middleweight world champion and KO artist, Sheeraz looked transformed: poised, powerful, and patient.

“We are only scratching the surface,” Lee said. “There is so much potential left in this guy. There's no limit as to how far he can go.”

Sheeraz credited Lee’s belief in him for the breakthrough. “Even in the first few rounds, I was losing them,” he said. “But I told Andy I could hunt this guy down and he believed me. Not many coaches would.”

With the win, Sheeraz becomes the WBO’s mandatory challenger — and that puts him in line for a possible showdown with undisputed super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez. But first, Alvarez must get through Terence Crawford on September 13..

“Canelo has always been a boxing hero of mine,” he said. “But if I get that opportunity, it won’t be one where I try to nick it on points. I’ll stand in the middle and have it out with him. Whoever lands first… well, they get knocked out.”

Reply