Hamzah Sheeraz is nearing fighting for a world middleweight title after guidance from none other than “Prince” Naseem Hamed.
The 25-year-old will challenge Tyler Denny for the European title on Sept. 21 at London’s Wembley Stadium on the undercard of the IBF heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
If, as expected, he secures victory he will be on course to challenge for the WBC middleweight title in 2025, having, at least within the context of British boxing, had the most successful year of any fighter.
It was in February in London when he stopped inside a round the proven Liam Williams, and likely ended the Welshman’s career. Four months later in Saudi Arabia he stopped in 11 Austin “Ammo” Williams, at a time when he was hoping that Chris Eubank Jr. would be next.
That Eubank Jr. is instead in contention to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is perhaps a demonstration of Sheeraz’s admirable progress. He has come to be regarded as perhaps Britain’s most promising fighter, and if a world-title fight follows a victory over Denny, it will come in his 21st fight – only two later than applied to Hamed.
“There was a lot of fighters [I aspired to be like],” he said. “Prince Naseem was one of them, and I actually spoke to him before my fight and after my last fight. We actually had a good, half-an-hour chat, and the good thing about him is he doesn’t come across as patronising.
“He speaks to me on a man’s level – on a fighter’s level – and it’s hard to find that ground between ex-fighters and fighters who are coming through now. Huge respect to him – he was definitely one of them.
“He was telling me, ‘I’ve seen you fight – your jab is your most important and your best tool. Just picture it – go in there’. I remember what he said. He goes, ‘You wanna picture snapping his head back, straight over with that jab’.
“It didn’t happen straight away, but it eventually happened when I got into my groove in the fight. He said, ‘Fights of this magnitude – of this level – are not gonna be as straightforward as your fight before that, with Liam Williams. You’re stepping up gears now. You’re one or two fights away from a world title’.
“I don’t pay much attention to [the growing interest in me], and the reason is because when I was an eight-year-old kid, I wanted to be here – I wanted to be in the spotlight. It’s not until you actually get there – it’s all a blur. I remember saying in interviews that I look at myself as an overachiever. From the amateurs, I’ve never been someone who won lots of championships, so just to be in the position I’m in now; just to wake up everyday and get the attention I’m getting now and be able to inspire youngsters coming through – that’s what’s most important to me, and I’m only starting to understand that now, taking myself into the mindset of me being the eight-year-old kid who wanted to be what I am today.
“[In the context of Britain’s muslim community my fights are having] a massive, massive, massive impact. To be mentioned in the same breath as them two [Hamed and Amir Khan] is a huge honour. It goes back to, ‘Do you recognise you’re getting this attention?’. No, not really. Not until you’re out on the streets and youngsters come up to you and say, ‘We watched your fight on the weekend; we want to be like you; how do you do this? Teach us this’.
“It’s a bit surreal. It’s almost like a pinch-myself moment.
“In the future, there’s huge plans and aspirations to pass the next generation of south-asian fighters through to [my promoter] Frank Warren. Who better than him who’s done it, seen it, and whatnot?”
Sheeraz – of Pakistani descent – is back in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, at the gym of the International Boxing Hall of Fame trainer Joe Goosen, preparing for his date with Denny under his trainer Ricky Funez’s watchful eye.
His performance in Riyadh came in front of not only employers of the Pakistan embassy of Saudi Arabia but his cousin Zayn Sadiq who hopes to soon turn professional. It is no coincidence that he will feature so prominently on September’s Saudi Arabia-funded bill at Wembley; if his profile continues to grow, he will sacrifice pursuing a world title if he can fight Eubank Jr. next.
“Zayn Sadiq turns 18 in two months, so hopefully we’ll get him signed up,” Sheeraz continued. “He’s won national championships; he’s absolutely smashed it. He’s seen what it takes to get to the top in pro boxing; he’s been around it, so it’s nothing new to him, and I stuck to my word. He’ll be coming through – remember that name. Hopefully [my late aunt, his mother Shabnum, is] down looking proud.
“There was about 100 members from the Pakistani-Saudi embassy actually come to the fight – that’s how I got the invite the next day, and went down to the embassy, and was talking about strengthening ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan via myself. Going back to inspiring the young generations coming through – ultimately just being an ambassador.
“In an ideal world [Eubank would] be the best step for me next – although I am in a position to fight for the world titles, that fight does a lot more for my career.
“Especially if it’s going to be in England – a massive British middleweight domestic dust-up against boxing royalty. I can’t ask for better, can I?”
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