The path that middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz will choose to fight for a world title seems to be becoming clearer, after he was withdrawn from purse bids today to fight Janibek Alimkhanuly.
The Kazakh southpaw defeated New Zealand’s Andrei Mikhailovich last month but the man who holds the WBO and IBF middleweight titles will have to defend his title elsewhere with Sheeraz heading in another direction.
Sheeraz is ranked No. 1 by the WBO and No. 1 by the WBC, and the WBC champion is Carlos Adames.
Queensberry Promotions, who work with Sheeraz, have the IBF’s No. 2 and No. 4, Denzel Bentley and Brad Pauls respectively, fighting on December 7 at Wembley Arena, and the winner of that could be in line for a title shot. Shane Mosley Jnr is rated No. 3 by the WBO.
Newly-installed WBO boss Gustavo Olivieri wrote on X: “Be advised promoter George Warren of Queensberry Promotions, on behalf of Hamzah Sheeraz, confirmed fighter will withdraw the Mandatory against #WBO Middleweight champion @qazaqstyle. Today’s purse bid is canceled. Committee will reconvene to determine next steps.”
The target date for Sheeraz, who in an impressive 2024 has scalped Liam Williams, Ammo Williams, and Tyler Denny, is for him to box on a big bill in Saudi Arabia on February 22.
Adames won the WBC title with a hard-fought victory over Terrell Gausha in June.