Sheeraz Exits Alimkhanuly Negotiations, Eyes February Clash with Carlos Adames
Hamzah Sheeraz, widely regarded as one of the top fighters in the UK, has withdrawn from negotiations for a showdown with unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly. This comes after a 15-fight knockout streak that has earned Sheeraz (21-0, 17 KOs) recognition as one of Britain's brightest boxing talents. A recent victory over Tyler Denny at Wembley saw Sheeraz claim the EBU European Middleweight title and solidified his position as the mandatory challenger for Alimkhanuly’s WBO and IBF belts.
After months of delayed purse bids, it was expected that Sheeraz would face Alimkhanuly on the high-profile February 22nd Riyadh Season card. However, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed today that Sheeraz’s team has officially pulled out of the negotiations, and the scheduled purse bid has been canceled.
Instead, Sheeraz is reportedly set to challenge Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title on the same February card. Although this has yet to be confirmed by Sheeraz’s team, the move to face Adames signals a shift in his pursuit of a world title.
Adames, who won the WBC title in May, defended it successfully against Terrell Gausha in June. Meanwhile, Queensberry Promotions also promotes Denzel Bentley (WBO #2) and Brad Pauls (WBO #4), who are set to fight on December 7th, with the winner likely in line to face Alimkhanuly in 2025.
