Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams | TNT Sports - 10 February 2024

[Manchester Hitman]

Looks like this might be a decent little card.

Noakes v Sylvester & Abdullah v Ashfaq are both
good fights.

[SeanBrennan]

Looks like this might be a decent little card.

Noakes v Sylvester & Abdullah v Ashfaq are both
good fights.

I like Noakes, vs another undefeated fighter too. Looks like Yarde and Karol Itauma are getting a run out too. Nice card.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release | Anthony Yarde, Noakes vs. Sylvester Added To

am Noakes will fight English champion Lewis Sylvester at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 10 February in the chief support to the mighty middleweight clash between Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams, live on TNT Sports.

The Commonwealth and WBC International Silver belts currently owned by the 12-0 (12 KOs) Noakes will be on the line against the undefeated 13-0 (4 KOs) man from Hull.

Two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde (24-3, 23) will return to action over 10 rounds at light heavyweight ahead of major title challenges in 2024.

The recently crowned Commonwealth Silver featherweight champion Masood Abdulah (9-0, 6 KOs) will make a first defence of his belt against the 2016 Olympian Qais Ashfaq (12-2, 5 KOs).

Sylvester, 25, won the vacant English title when he defeated the previously unbeaten Adam Cope in Sheffield via a unanimous verdict last July, before making a blistering first defence against Jimmy First in October when he took just over two minutes to complete the job.

Noakes has been on the title trail since the end of 2021 when he stopped Shaun Cooper for his WBC honour, before adding the Commonwealth to his cabinet with a fourth-round stoppage of Calvin McCord in November 2022. The charismatic Maidstone man extended his knockout run to 12 in December when Carlos Perez was accounted for in the fourth round at York Hall.

Islington’s Abdulah defeated Marc Leach in October to win his maiden title as a professional and he goes up against Leeds man Ashfaq, who dropped a split decision in challenge for the British super featherweight title against Liam Dillon in July

Also featuring at the Copper Box will be the WBC International super lightweight champion Pierce O’Leary (13-0, 7) making a third defence of his belt. While light heavyweight Karol Itauma (10-1, 7) continues his journey over eight rounds.

Cruiserweights Tommy Fletcher (5-0, 4) and Aloys Jr (5-1, 5), as well as welterweight Khalid Ali (7-0, 3) and featherweight Umar Khan (8-0) will fight over six rounds, with 1-0 newcomers Sam King (middleweight), Billy Adams (lightweight) and Charlie Hickford (super featherweight) having their second four round encounters.

“We are in for a busy night at the Copper Box in our first show of the year on February 10,” said promoter allegedly. “The main event speaks for itself, and I believe Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams will deliver a captivating spectacle.

“The time has come for Sam Noakes to stake his claim at the top of the domestic scene, and we should be in for a cracking fight when he goes up against the undefeated English champion Lewis Sylvester, who will view this as his gateway to more big nights on a TV platform.

“The undercard is stacked, and fans can look forward to Anthony Yarde getting back into business in a 10-rounder before he returns to major title action a little further down the line. Pierce O’Leary and Masood Abdulah can also stake their claim to be part of headline fights over the course of this year.

“Our top prospects are also on parade, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing the rivalry between our knockout pair of cruiserweights, Tommy Fletcher and Aloys Jr, develop as they seek to out-do each other before, one day, they get to do it for real.”

[rhino222]

Liam is being fed to the wolves a bit here. he looked poor against Eubank despite training well and very very hard.

Now Liam has linked back up with Lockett (post Ingle era) id like to see Liams welsh pride click in and leave it all in the ring. If Liam has anything left then this could be a great competetive fight.

Liam also owes Sheeraz a beating for what he did to Bradley Skeete (possibly the worst piece of refereeing and BBBC post fight panel judgment that i have ever seen)

[Ruthless-RKO]

[SeanBrennan]

I like how they both have pretend belts on, it's sweet.

[margaret thatcher]

their faces sum up what i think of the fight

[Manchester Hitman]

Dreadful opponent for Yarde. Has to be either Buatsi/Azzez or maybe Callum Smith next if he fights again as I suspect.

[TheLeprechaun]

Yarde must get an abnormal sense of satisfaction by beating up bums in public.

[SeanBrennan]

bonkers isn't it. He fights these opponents then bang straight in against a killer, the step up is crazy.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight Week!!

[THEBUTCH]

I don't particularly rate Sheeraz but Williams is now a busted flush IMO and as a few posters recognise Liam is being served up as the sacrificial lamb.

[THEBUTCH]

Even though Yarde gave his all in his two undeserved world title challenges, those fights aside his career his soooo average.

Buatsi, Azeez and Callum Smith I respect and have earned their stripes. Yarde has that hollow feel to his career

[tony1234]

I don't particularly rate Sheeraz but Williams is now a busted flush IMO and as a few posters recognise Liam is being served up as the sacrificial lamb.

I think so, can't see anything but a Sheeraz stoppage win

[Monzon83]

Even though Yarde gave his all in his two undeserved world title challenges, those fights aside his career his soooo average.

Buatsi, Azeez and Callum Smith I respect and have earned their stripes. Yarde has that hollow feel to his career

I don’t know why they have matched him so poorly. Outside of his title shots and Lyndon, he literally just fights bin men. It’s not helped his progress IMO.

[THEBUTCH]

It's a poor reflection that Lyndon Arthur is Yarde's best win...and even then he took two attempts to achieve a win !

One can only assume Yarde's handers know he's beatable as soon as he steps outside of good quality British/Commonwealth title or European title class.

Arthur certainly isn't world class. Let's be honest, as good as Bivol is...he takes prisoners. So while a points defeat will have Arthur dining out on that for the rest if his career, it's not the best of measures.

[magnus]

Arthur looked like he'd been on the Mogadon in the 2nd Yarde fight. Bizarre performance.

[handsofstone]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

[SeanBrennan]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

there are far worse a people to have fought for versions of the world title. He went 12 rounds on 4 weeks notice.

[margaret thatcher]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

there are far worse a people to have fought for versions of the world title. He went 12 rounds on 4 weeks notice.

he didnt go 12 in either of his title challenges

[TheLeprechaun]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

It's arguably a good strategy. Fight bums, build a profile/hype/sponsorships and then use that to get a big fight. You are never putting yourself in big domestic fights where a loss can really set you back. There have always been pretty decent 175 pounders domestically over the last several years and Yarde has avoided them. Can we call it the Tunde strategy? The downside is that you are woefully underprepared when it comes to the actual step up in class. Yarde showed no jab to speak of vs Kovalev and was told to "empty the tank" by Tunde which ironically led to him being KO'd by a jab. He was better against Beterbiev and I think we just have to put Beterbiev up in the elite class of boxing that very few get to.

[handsofstone]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

there are far worse a people to have fought for versions of the world title. He went 12 rounds on 4 weeks notice.

It's nothing to do with his ability, I rate Yarde, it's just that twice he's challenged for a title having beat nobody, Arthur rematch is his best win by a mile, this opponent coming up is typical Anthony Yarde fodder, he'll feast on the likes of him before falling short at a higher level again

[handsofstone]

As commendable as Yarde's world title efforts were, people with his CV shouldn't be anywhere near world honours

It's arguably a good strategy. Fight bums, build a profile/hype/sponsorships and then use that to get a big fight. You are never putting yourself in big domestic fights where a loss can really set you back. There have always been pretty decent 175 pounders domestically over the last several years and Yarde has avoided them. Can we call it the Tunde strategy? The downside is that you are woefully underprepared when it comes to the actual step up in class. Yarde showed no jab to speak of vs Kovalev and was told to "empty the tank" by Tunde which ironically led to him being KO'd by a jab. He was better against Beterbiev and I think we just have to put Beterbiev up in the elite class of boxing that very few get to.

Yeh I definitely see the strategy, just find it strange that Frank is happy to keep giving him walkovers

[margaret thatcher]

best win by miles is arthur, whose best win by miles is yarde

[forcefraser]

Maybe Beterbiev took Yarde lightly, I`m not sure. However Yarde put up a ballsy effort in that fight and was far more competitive than Smith, who was just shellacked and smashed up. Yarde was smashed up too, but he went out swinging and showed a major pair of cajones trying to go toe to toe. Great fight.

Same with the Kovalev fight. He fought himself to a standstill where a jab dropped him.

Say want you want about Yarde, but he has my respect as a warrior who goes in the trenches and leaves nothing in the ring in defeat. Acts like a turd with his lions in the camp nonsense and his image is not one I particularly like, but as a fighting man, I cant fault him.