Bigger, better things for Sheeraz after Begic title fight, says Warren
Terence Crawford’s decision to retire after relieving Saul “Canelo" Alvarez of his undisputed 168-pound crown last September left the division without a recognised champion.
Back in November, the WBC ordered a fight between Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) and Christian Mbilli for their vacant title.
Just a few weeks later, the WBO asked Sheeraz and unbeaten American, Diego Pacheco, to enter into negotiations for their vacant belt.
In the enviable position of being able to choose his own adventure, Sheeraz and his team surveyed the landscape and decided that taking on Pacheco offered the biggest upside.
However, with purse bids imminent, Pacheco decided to take himself out of the running to pursue other options.
Begic (29-0-1, 23 KOs) was the first available contender and the WBO quickly pivoted to make the fight. He and Sheeraz - who is ranked at No. 8 by The Ring - will fight for the vacant title later this spring.
“Pacheco obviously didn't want it. He didn't fancy it, so we’ve got the German, Begic,” Sheeraz’s promoter, Frańķ Wařřen, told The Ring.
“That's a real good fight for him [Sheeraz]. For me it's a very winnable fight. He wins that, he gets his title, we've delivered and then on to bigger and better things.
“I chose to go there [the WBO route] because I fancy the Pacheco fight.
“I looked at the box office, the American-based box office. It had Matchroom, it had us [Queensberry]. It had all the things that make it work. I was surprised.”
Although the clashes didn’t come together during the bunfight to claim the belts Crawford vacated, it seems inevitable that Sheeraz will eventually cross paths with Pacheco and Mbilli .
Many will see him beating Begic as a formality and before he heads into a series of exciting, meaningful unification fights.
Warren has been a believer in Sheeraz since his days as a gangly junior middleweight. Although the 26-year-old from Slough showed moments of true promise on his rise through the divisions, a disappointing draw with WBC middleweight champion, Carlos Adames, a year ago caused some to put a ceiling on his potential and led to the 6-foot-4 Sheeraz moving up to super middleweight.
Warren feels that last July’s exciting knockout of Edgar Berlanga showed exactly what Sheeraz is capable of now he doesn’t have to fight the scales.
“Hamzah had a great win out in America - a really good win in America - and he showed them what he's all about and it’s because he's comfortable at the weight,” he said.
“He’s a big guy, he's got a big frame on him. I don't know how he was fighting at middleweight.”
ANNOUNCED: Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven undercard confirmed for May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza:
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Alem Begic