Hamzah Sheeraz won the WBO super middleweight title last month and the undefeated star wants a quick turnaround, with another 168-pounder stating he would be ready for the opportunity to fight the Briton at tiny notice.
Anthony Joshua will return to action next month when he faces Kristian Prenga in Jeddah on July 25, hoping to make his long-awaited showdown with arch-rival Tyson Fury.
Earlier this week Boxing Scene reported that two world titles could be up for grabs on the undercard, with both Josh Kelly and Sheeraz set to make their first defense of their world titles in the super welterweight and super middleweight divisions, respectively.
Although Kelly is reportedly scheduled to face Caoimhin Agyarko from Belfast, Sheeraz’s opponent is unknown and the only condition is a place in the top fifteen of the WBO rankings.
In an interview with Boxing News, 39-year-old Milorad Zizic, who is rated No. 9 by the WBO, shared his desire to challenge for Sheeraz’s crown in a fight where he could join Dejan Zlatičanin as the second Montenegrin world champion in boxing history.
“It would mean a lot to me. I live for this goal. It would be a great honor for me, my family, Montenegro and the entire Balkan region. Becoming only the second world champion in Montenegro’s history would be something truly special.”
“It would mean everything to me. I live for boxing. I truly believe this fight could become the upset of the decade.”
Zizić, once called the hardest punch Floyd Mayweather Sr. had ever seenand then shared his confidence in the proposed competition, in which he hopes to continue his streak of six consecutive fights that lasted no longer than two rounds.
“Hamzah Sheeraz is a true champion. He is in great shape and I have a lot of respect for him. But believe me, he has never faced such a devastating blow as I did. Believe me, he will never face such a devastating blow as I did. I respect him as a fighter, but not to the point of thinking that I cannot beat him. I believe in my abilities and I am sure that I can make my dream come true.
“It will be a war from the first bell, I know how it can be. If we fight and he survives five rounds, he will be the winner, but five rounds against me is a long time.
“If Hamzah and his team want this fight, I’m ready. If not, that’s fine too. I will keep moving forward, keep working and stay focused on my journey. My time will come.”
Although his head coach is Joco Todorovic, Zizic has previously been cornered by fan favorite four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr, who continues to train him.
Speaking to Boxing News, Jones explained why he thinks Zizic will be an compelling test for Sheeraz, agreeing with Zizic’s plan to force a shootout.
“Zizic is a very strenuous puncher, as is Sheeraz, they are both very strenuous punchers. Zizic was off for a minute, but he came back and got four quick wins, he’s back busy and I think it would be a great fight for Sheeraz.”
“Like I said, they’re both really good punchers, and Sheeraz won’t come across many people who can match his punching power, but Zizic has that punching power.”
“He has to go straight to him. He can’t try to box him, he’ll go straight to him. That would probably be the smartest approach because if you box him, as long as he [Sheeraz] means he will beat you.
“So your best chance is to get to him as rapid as you can and see if he can withstand your blows. If you wait, he’ll get you out of there.”
News on Sheeraz’s opponent – if he appears on the card – is expected soon, with fellow WBO-ranked contenders Bernardin Jakaj (No. 12) and Jack Bowen (No. 14) also among potential opponents.