Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Edgar Berlanga | DAZN - 12 July 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz go on the offensive

With Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz each in need of a big statement win, both fighters were on the offensive at Thursday’s press conference in New York City.

The two fighters, who will clash on July 12 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, traded insults and made big promises heading into their super middleweight bout.

Both fighters were eager to relitigate the past – just not their own.

Berlanga, 23-1 (18 KOs), took a shot at Sheeraz’s last fight, a split draw against Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title in February.

“You got a gift the last fight. Even your trainer knew that you lost the fight,” Berlanga said.

Sheeraz, the British-born fighter who is stepping up to 168lbs for this match, was quick to shoot back.

“If we’re talking about the past, you’re Canelo’s bitch,” Sheeraz said, a reference to Berlanga’s unanimous decision loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last September.

Sheeraz, 21-0-1 (17 KOs), conceded that some are overlooking his chances heading into the fight based off of his last outing. Sheeraz reportedly injured his left hand in the third round of the fight and was outworked down the stretch by the incumbent titleholder.

Since then, Sheeraz has linked up with trainer Andy Lee, who has been on a hot streak of late, leading Joseph Parker and Ben Whittaker to big wins.

“I feel like this fight, for the first time in my career, I’m being underestimated, and I get it because in boxing you’re only as good as your last performance. But I’m telling you right now, July 12, when I get the win, the Hamzah Sheeraz hype train will be back on again,” said Sheeraz.

Berlanga, who rebounded in March with a first-round stoppage of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in Orlando, took aim at Lee. Berlanga reminded him of the one-sided victory he scored over another of Lee’s fighters, Jason Quigley, back in 2023, and vowed to do the same to Sheeraz.

“You already know what time it is. I’m knocking this motherfucker out. We’re in New York, this is my backyard,” said Berlanga, a New York-raised, Florida-based boxer of Puerto Rican descent. “He says Sheeraz is gonna knock me out, but not even his own fighter believes that. At the end of the day we’re here, he says we’re overlooking him, but I don’t overlook no fighter.

“We’re looking to hurt him,” Berlanga said. “I’m gonna break every bone in this n---a’s face. I wanna do what I do best: win.”

The press conference at times descended into juvenile insults, with Sheeraz calling Berlanga a “sausage,” and Berlanga countering back by calling Sheeraz “a dick eater.”

But both fighters knew the stakes at play for this fight. The undisputed super middleweight championship is being contested on a Ring Magazine boxing event on September 12, with Canelo Alvarez set to defend against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas. Berlanga has been vocal about wanting a rematch, stating that Mexican fans he had encountered in Florida had been inquiring about it, while Sheeraz would make for a fresh face for the Mexican star to mix it up with.

For either fighter to be considered for any fight of any significance, this is a must-win match.

“He’s a basic fighter,” Berlanga said of Sheeraz. “I’ve seen the best out there. I’ve been boxing since I’m six years old. And I’m still a sponge, I got 20-something years boxing, so whatever he brings, that don’t mean nothing.

“He’ll fornicate around and be the 18th first-round knockout.”

Sheeraz was equally confident about his own chances in the fight.

“I’ll go out there, throw a few jabs, land a right hand straight on the chin and knock him the fornicate out,” said Sheeraz.

[Taansend]

I love this card.

I'm hoping Sheeraz does a demolition job on Berlanga. No idea though. Berlanda seems to have gotten more respect in his loss to Canelo than in all of his wins combined.

Zepeda was looking fantastic up until Farmer. Now there's huge question marks. And it's hard to predict with Stevenson. Well maybe not, you can just say he'll win a dull points decision but I think we might see him take a few more chances.

I thought Puello lost against Sandor Martin but that was always going to be an ugly fight. He befuddled Russell who since came back to look great against Valenzuela. Matias is a favourite of mine but Paro showed how to beat him.

And it's brave matchmaking from Khataev's people. But win or lose against Morrell, if he puts in a good showing his name will be in the mix for Light Heavy life after Bivol & Beterbiev finish dancing.

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDGAR BERLANGA CONTENDS HAMZAH SHEERAZ ONLY TOOK THIS FIGHT TO GET TO CANELO

NEW YORK — Edgar Berlanga wasn’t exactly effusive in his praise of Hamzah Sheeraz.

Sure, Sheeraz will face one of The Ring’s top 10 super middleweight contenders in his first fight in a new weight class. And yes, the 6-foot-4 Brit will take a transatlantic trip to battle Berlanga in his hometown.

From Berlanga’s perspective, Sheeraz shouldn’t be applauded too much for his ambition. The Brooklyn native contends the only reason Sheeraz agreed to fight him next is because he has been promised by the event’s organizers, most notably Turki Alalshikh, that he will get a shot at undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez if he beats Berlanga on The Ring’s pay-per-view card, “Ring III,” at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.

Alvarez has a difficult fight of his own scheduled for Sept. 13, a 12-round showdown with another four-division champion in undefeated Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs). Mexico’s Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) has often expressed interest in fighting in England, though, and a bout with Sheeraz would be a marketable matchup in the UK if they win their upcoming contests.

Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs), who has only lost to Alvarez, is confident he will prevent Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) from earning that career-changing opportunity against one of boxing’s biggest stars.

“Imma be honest,” Berlanga told The Ring recently, “they only doing this because they told him, 'If you beat him, if you get by him, we giving you Canelo.’ So, he had no option but to take it. That’s what I was just telling him [at our press conference]. I said, 'You ain’t have no choice but to take this fight.'

“He said, ‘Oh, I’m coming to your hometown. I’m coming to your backyard to fight you.’ I said, ‘You was forced to do this [expletive], so you could try to get that Canelo fight, because they promised you that fight.’ But other than that, I’m going in there, I’m looking to hurt him.”

Berlanga, 27, is slightly more than a 2-1 favorite over Sheeraz, 25, according to DraftKings.

Those odds aside, Sheeraz expects to feel fresher and stronger because he won’t need to shrink his body down to the middleweight limit of 160 pounds anymore. Sheeraz also sustained a fracture in his left hand early in his last fight —
a questionable, 12-round split draw with WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) on Feb. 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

[Ruthless-RKO]

HAMZAH SHEERAZ DISMISSES EDGAR BERLANGA'S CLAIM OF A 'WAR' VS. CANELO ALVAREZ

NEW YORK — Hamzah Sheeraz saw a vastly different fight between Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga than the one Berlanga remembers.

Whereas Berlanga boasts about a competitive contest in which he busted up Alvarez’s face, Sheeraz recalls a reluctant challenger who approached pretty cautiously after getting knocked him down during the third round. Mexico’s Alvarez beat Brooklyn’s Berlanga by big margins on all three scorecards Sept. 14 and retained his Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

England’s Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs), who will box Berlanga on July 12, belittled his recollection of the biggest fight of the super middleweight contender’s career eight months ago.

“He respected Canelo too much,” Sheeraz told The Ring. “That is the truth. He used his arm as an excuse. But the bottom line is he respected Canelo too much. When he dropped him, I think he felt the power. And people like him … you’ve heard the quote empty cans make the most noise — and that’s what he is, he’s an empty can.

“Because if there was any substance and true warrior in him, he woulda got up and had it out with Canelo and not tried to box. And that’s what he done. And a lotta people do that with Canelo. I think it’s definitely easier said than done because when you’re in there it’s a different story. But when you’re fighting someone like Canelo, even if you go out on your shield you’ve given it your all.”

A left hook by Alvarez knocked Berlanga to the canvas 1:04 into the third round. Berlanga reached his feet before referee Harvey Dock counted to five.

Alvarez attempted to finish Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs), who wasn’t badly hurt by that left hook. Berlanga then traded with him to let the undisputed super middleweight champion know he wouldn’t go away easily.

Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) still won 10 rounds apiece according to judges Max De Luca and Steve Weisfeld, both of whom scored him a 118-109 winner. Judge David Sutherland scored three rounds for Berlanga, who lost 117-110 on his card.

“He reckons he stood there and had a war with him,” Sheeraz said. “But the evidence is there. I watched it on YouTube and there was no war happening there. He caught Canelo with a good, few shots, but that’s boxing for you. But listen, not to take it away from the guy, I think he’s a good fighter. He’s a good fighter. But when it comes to him and Canelo, he’s definitely delusional about that.”

Berlanga, 27, is listed by DraftKings as a slight favorite to beat Sheeraz in their 12-round, 168-pound bout on The Ring’s pay-per-view card, “Ring III,” on July 12 at Louis Armstrong Stadium, a tennis venue in Queens. Sheeraz, 25, will make his debut in the super middleweight division, in which The Ring ranks Berlanga as its No. 9 contender.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[mickey1975]

£24.99 PPV

[Ruthless-RKO]

£24.99 PPV

Crap!

I actually thought it might be regular DAZN.

Surely not PPV in the UK.

[mickey1975]

£24.99 PPV

Crap!

I actually thought it might be regular DAZN.

Surely not PPV in the UK.

It is. And Usyk v Dubois $60 in the US on the day Manny fights.

[MightyWarrior]

I don’t know how they expect to make any money on this. Nobody wants to watch Stevenson, and nobody knows who the other three guys are. Except the hardcore- Who are all aware that both the two middleweights yakking away failed to deliver on the big stage, and there’s a good chance that could happen again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDGAR BERLANGA PLANS ON DAMAGING HAMZAH SHEERAZ: ‘I WANNA BREAK HIS FACE’

It feels good to reach the top.

According to Edgar Berlanga, he’s put in enough work to be considered one of the best and brightest stars in the world. And while he did lose to Canelo Alvarez in September 2024, that only reinforced his line of thinking.

Outside of his matchup against Alvarez, oddsmakers love Berlanga. That love affair continues as they've pushed him as a slight favorite over Hamzah Sheeraz on July 12 at "Ring III", The Ring's third boxing event, which takes place at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York City.

Having expectations is a good thing, but at times, complacency can creep in. Sitting back and believing everything will fall at your feet has led to numerous fighters dropping the ball.

Berlanga (23-1, 18 KOs) has been around the game long enough to see it happen, but he promises to remain locked in on Sheeraz, despite other things floating around in the background.

“I’m at that elite level already,” said Berlanga via his YouTube channel. “I don’t overlook no fighter. I’m going in there focused.”

It could be a sign of respect. It also could be weariness. Berlanga wouldn’t call himself a fan of Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs), but he has watched him closely over the years, including his most recent ring appearance.

The 26-year-old Londoner got off to a less-than-ideal start to 2025. Instead of being crowned the middleweight division’s WBC champion, he settled for a split decision draw against Carlos Adames. An immediate rematch was in play, but another arduous weight cut played a factor in Sheeraz moving up to face Berlanga instead.

For the hard-hitting star, Berlanga wants even more respect than he’s been given. That, however, will only come if he’s able to win world titles or, at the very least, take down names such as Sheeraz. If beating him will lead to bigger and better things, Berlanga wants to do more than simply grabbing a points victory.

“I wanna break every bone in his face.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Taansend]

Sheeraz up against it here.

66% of the Boxrec poll says Berlanga is going to win. 28% for Sheeraz.

It's his first fight at the weight.

First fight with his new trainer, Andy Lee.

His first fight in the USA (that surprised me)

In his opponents hometown.

I'm picking Sheeraz by KO, sometime after the 8th.

The reason for my prediction, you ask... Berlanga got decked by a bloke Billy Joe Saunders knocked down thrice & stopped. That's it. That's the only form guide I'm using.

[margaret thatcher]

tbf that guy also gave bjs a heck of a fight and was up on one of the cards at the end. also gave pacheco a tough fight and hurt him.

but ya he did drop berlanga on his ass

[Taansend]

tbf that guy also gave bjs a heck of a fight and was up on one of the cards at the end. also gave pacheco a tough fight and hurt him.

You're right. I was just fornicating about.

I'm hoping for a great Sheeraz win. I think Berlanga is a plank but I don't hold most New Yorkers in the highest regard.

[Ruthless-RKO]

HAMZAH SHEERAZ BELIEVES WIN OVER EDGAR BERLANGA COULD TURN HIM INTO A STAR STATESIDE

Stardom comes naturally for Hamzah Sheeraz when he’s over in the United Kingdom. When he’s stateside, however, the sunglasses he uses to disguise himself aren’t needed.

Since turning pro in 2017, Sheeraz has spent his entire career fighting in the UK. But while he has an adoring fanbase, he wants global recognition.

That can only come if Sheeraz decides to plant his flag and make a home for himself in America. So, desperate for star, fame, and adulation, he’s hitting the road.

On July 12, at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) will headline 'The Ring III' when he takes on highly ranked contender, Edgar Berlanga in his super middleweight debut.

Depending on who you ask, their showdown is mostly viewed as a toss-up. But, Sheeraz has several things playing against him. For starters, his form is questionable. When last seen, he struggled against Carlos Adames before being forced to settle for a split decision draw. Outside of his recent performance, Berlanga figures to be the bigger man as he’s the more natural 168-pounder.

Still, even with the deck somewhat stacked against him, Sheeraz knows what lies on the other side of a win over Berlanga.

Some of it is obvious. Sheeraz has long made his feelings known that he would love to share the ring with Canelo Alvarez eventually. A win on July 12 could go a long way toward that dream becoming a reality. Also, outside of a possible future Alvarez matchup, Sheeraz’s profile could take a gigantic leap forward.

The glitz, glam, and spotlight can’t get to his head just yet. He knows that he not only has to beat Berlanga but look great while doing it.

“Not many people in America know who I am,” Sheeraz told Cornerman Boxing during a recent one-on-one interview. “This is my opportunity to get right at the top, as long as I put on a devastating performance.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDDIE HEARN EXPECTS DAVID MORRELL-IMAM KHATAEV TO PRODUCE 'ABSOLUTE BLOODBATH'

Eddie Hearn is certain one fight on the upcoming “Ring III” pay-per-view show hasn’t received the attention it deserves.

The two fights atop the card — Edgar Berlanga against Hamzah Sheeraz and Shakur Stevenson versus William Zepeda — have received much of the promotional push since the July 12 event was announced last month. Champion Alberto Puello and Subriel Matias should also present an interesting clash of styles in their 12-round fight for the WBC 140-pound crown at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

Hearn, whose company promotes Stevenson, wouldn’t be the least bit surprised, however, if David Morrell Jr. and Imam Khataev leave fans more entertained than any other match.

“Morrell against Kataev will be an absolute bloodbath — bloodbath,” Hearn told The Ring’s Rick Reeno during an interview that was posted recently to

“It will be brutal.”

The stakes are high in their 10-round light heavyweight fight.

The Cuban-born, Miami-based Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) needs a win five months after his first professional defeat — a 12-round unanimous decision to unbeaten WBC light heavyweight champ David Benavidez on Feb. 1 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Khataev (10-0, 9 KOs), who won a bronze medal for Russia at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, will try to validate himself as a light heavyweight contender against an opponent Benavidez considers the most formidable foe he has faced in 30 pro bouts.

Hearn, the chairman of Matchroom Boxing, was surprised Morrell and Khataev took this risky fight when Turki Alalshikh offered it.

“That fight, Morrell-Kataev, is an absolute barnburner,” Hearn said. “We had Kataev on our show in Sydney his last fight. He is all action. He is dangerous. And it’s gone from like Morrell was like the hunter. He’s actually the hunted in that fight. … And again, these crazy cards you guys do at The Ring magazine, that fight just wouldn’t happen [otherwise]. You just don’t fight Khataev, right? And you just don’t fight Morrell. Those two just fight each other.”

Kataev, who trains and resides in Australia, defeated Argentina’s Durval Elias Palacio (14-4, 11 KOs) by unanimous decision in his most recent fight March 22 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. That victory ended a nine-fight knockout streak since he turned pro in 2021.

DraftKings considers Morrell, who is ranked No. 8 among The Ring’s top 10 light heavyweight contenders, a 5-1 favorite to defeat the 10th-ranked Khataev. DAZN will distribute the pay-per-view card that includes Berlanga-Sheeraz, Stevenson-Zepeda, Puello-Matias and Morrell-Khataev in the United States ($59.99; 6 p.m. ET) and the United Kingdom (£24.99; 11 p.m. BST).

[Gran Hermano]

Berlanga is insufferable. I hope Sheeraz batters him

[Taansend]

Berlanga is insufferable. I hope Sheeraz batters him

He's a caricature of an annoying New Yorker.

[forcefraser]

Berlanga is insufferable. I hope Sheeraz batters him

Can't see it. Sheeraz has been fast tracked on a diet of has beens and never weres. Gifted a draw last time out. Berlanga will flatten him

[CaptainSpacerod]

Berlanga is insufferable. I hope Sheeraz batters him

Can't see it. Sheeraz has been fast tracked on a diet of has beens and never weres. Gifted a draw last time out. Berlanga will flatten him

You could say the same about Edgar

Fair play to Sheeraz for coming straight back into a proper fight rather than knocking over a couple more tin cans to “rebuild” after his failed world title attempt

[forcefraser]

Berlanga is insufferable. I hope Sheeraz batters him

Can't see it. Sheeraz has been fast tracked on a diet of has beens and never weres. Gifted a draw last time out. Berlanga will flatten him

You could say the same about Edgar

Fair play to Sheeraz for coming straight back into a proper fight rather than knocking over a couple more tin cans to “rebuild” after his failed world title attempt

True, but I have this feeling Edgar smashes him early doors

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Taansend]

I love Hamzah & I hope he beats the granny out of Berlanga but, fornicate me, his ankles are smaller than my cock.

[Ruthless-RKO]