Hamzah Sheeraz: From Financial Struggles to World Championship Bout
After overcoming significant financial challenges, English middleweight boxer Hamzah Sheeraz is now poised for a shot at the WBC world title. The undefeated fighter (21-0, 17 KOs) will face champion Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
This high-profile matchup is part of a star-studded event in Riyadh, featuring the light heavyweight unification bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol as the main attraction. The card is backed by the substantial resources of Riyadh Season and Turki Alalshikh, who heads Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Sheeraz, 25, has been on an impressive run, stopping his last 15 opponents. His most recent victory was a dominant second-round TKO over Tyler Denny to claim the European middleweight title last September in London.
The substantial earnings from that fight allowed Sheeraz to repay an £800,000 debt to his family, who had supported his boxing career. “I’m incredibly grateful to His Excellency [Alalshikh],” Sheeraz told ESPN. “He’s transformed boxing, which helped me clear my debt. Without that opportunity, I’d still be in debt for years to come.”
Sheeraz explained that the debt covered training and travel expenses, primarily due to his decision to train with Ricky Funez at the Tengoose Boxing Gym in Los Angeles. The 6’3″ fighter from Ilford, East London, has been working with Funez for several years, completing ten training camps together.
Despite the challenges of being away from home, Sheeraz remains focused on his goals. “It’s not easy being away from family and friends, missing important events, but they understand the sacrifices needed for my career,” he said.
Sheeraz believes his recent string of victories over Liam Williams, Austin Williams, and Tyler Denny has prepared him well for this title opportunity. He acknowledges the challenge posed by Adames (24-1, 18 KOs) but feels ready for the task ahead.
Frank Warren, Sheeraz’s promoter since his 2017 pro debut, expressed confidence in his fighter’s readiness for a world title shot. Warren cited Sheeraz’s impressive performance against ‘Ammo’ Williams last June as evidence of his preparedness for this level of competition.
As Sheeraz prepares for the biggest fight of his career, he draws inspiration from British boxing legends Ricky Hatton and Naseem Hamed. With his exciting knockout style, Sheeraz has the potential to build a similar passionate fanbase as he pursues world championship glory.