Interviews
Hamzah Sheeraz will be on Canelo’s level
Published
8 months agoon
By
J. HumzaHamzah Sheeraz has been tipped by former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton as the Briton’s top prospect after securing a 12th successive victory in November.
Sheeraz (12-0, 8 KO) stopped Guido Nicolas Pitto in the tenth and final round to defend his WBO European Super Welterweight title for the second time. The performance caught the attention of Frampton’s pundit of the night on BT Sport’s broadcast, with David Haye also equally heaping praise.
Such high praise did not go unnoticed and the undefeated fighter admitted he was honored to hear their endorsement, although he is determined to live up to the expectation.
“It was a huge compliment,” Sheeraz said proboxing-fans.com at a press conference in London on Thursday.
“Especially after it wasn’t my best performance, obviously at the end of the day it was a knockout.
“But it was a huge compliment [from] a two-time world champion like himself and David Haye, so yes [I] I was really at a loss for words.
“It’s okay, like I said, I have to do it now and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The 22-year-old has since moved stateside to join experienced trainer Ricky Funez at Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, and his up-to-date trainer believes he has the potential to reach a level similar to a four-division world champion and kilogram consensus -for pound number one, Canelo Alvarez.
“He is disciplined,” Funez said.
“That’s the most vital thing in boxing, you need a disciplined fighter who is very mature for his age.
Last night they lined up to praise Hamzah Sheeraz!
David Haye 🗣 “It was only 10/10.”
Carl Frampton 🗣 “He reminds me of Diego Corrales.” pic.twitter.com/X7zSWf2FyZ— Boxing on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) November 29, 2020
“It’s been great so far and I keep saying it and telling people in America that he’ll be at Canelo’s level soon.
“Even [trainer] Joe Goossen pulled me aside and said, ‘Ricky, you hit it,’ so Joe Goossen told me I found it refreshing.”
When asked what impressed him most about working with the Slough native, Funez added: “His strength, patience and how he just picks his punches, doesn’t just waste punches.
“That’s what impressed me because I’m that age. A lot of fighters want to go out there and just get the guy out of the way.
“He takes his time, picks his shots and doesn’t waste them.”
Sheeraz defends his crown for the third time against former Spanish champion Ezequiel Gurria, against the backdrop of Saturday’s Joe Joyce vs. Carlos Takam clash at the SSE Arena.
“He’s a good fighter,” he said of his opponent.
“This is his huge chance at BT Sport. He’s fighting for my title. He’ll come and try to snatch it from me.
“But in the end, I trained too tough and was away from my family too long to come up with anything.
“So come Saturday night, honestly, it should just be destroyed.”
Last week, the British Boxing Board of Control announced a bid for a fight between Sheeraz and Anthony Fowler as a final eliminator for Ted Cheeseman’s British title.
Sheeraz says he will leave all fight decisions to his manager and promoter, Frank Warren, but believes that even without the coveted belt, Lonsdale is number one in the country.
“I wouldn’t be in boxing, I wouldn’t step into the ring, if I thought differently. If I had any doubts, I wouldn’t have stepped into the ring.”
Watch the full interview with Hamzah Sheeraz and Ricky Funez below:
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Interviews
Daniel Dubois sends a message to Tyson Fury after his retirement
Published
53 minutes agoon
January 20, 2025Daniel Dubois believes that Tyson Fury will return to the ring and claims that a fight between them may happen.
Fury ended hopes of All-British fights against the likes of Dubois and long-time rival Anthony Joshua after retiring last Monday, less than a month after his second successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
However, “Dynamite” believes that his compatriot will return in a similar mood as when he retired in April 2022, only to return seven months later.
If the “Gypsy King” ends his final retirement, Dubois insists the fight with Joshua must happen, which has opened the door for him to face the winner.
“I think he will definitely come back,” said the 27-year-old talkSPORT.
“He’s always done that throughout his career, mind games and all that.
“So I think he will come back. He plays various characters. He will definitely come back.
“Get them in the ring [Joshua and Fury].
“I want to see them fight now.
“I punched Joshua so he had to fight Fury.
“I want to see what’s left between these two.
“And then maybe I’ll fight the winner.”
The Londoner knocked out “AJ” five rounds in September at Wembley Stadium and on February 22 in Riyad, he will defend the IBF world heavyweight title against Joseph Parker.
Dubois stormed the ring after Usyk’s rematch victory over Fury, calling for a rematch from their August 2023 clash.
The Londoner’s argument for wanting a rematch is based on a controversial low blow in the fifth round of the fight against the Ukrainian, which he believed was a legal shot.
“Usyk, I want to take revenge,” he said.
“Good job tonight.
“I want revenge for the last robbery.
“Let’s sort this out. Let’s go.
Eddie Hearn believes Tyson Fury will retire after a legacy-defining clash with Anthony Joshua.
Fury stunned the boxing world on Monday when he announced his retirement from the sport, leaving behind a megafight with Joshua.
The “Gypsy King” announced his shocking decision less than a month after suffering, among other things, second defeat in a row against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyad, but Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, is convinced that the fighter from Morecambe will return to the ring to fight the long-awaited showdown with “AJ”, who is returning after a fifth-round defeat to Daniel Dubois.
“In my opinion, I think he will come back,” the 45-year-old said talkSPORT.
“But I don’t know him well enough to judge that.
“He’s coming back after two defeats, and these defeats hurt the boys.
“AJ was devastated by the defeat to Dubois and I’m sure Fury was too [with his defeats to Usyk]both are winners.
“I don’t know if Fury can leave one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport on the table.
“I know he’s a competitor. I know he will want to give the British fight fans what they want and I hope we see more of him.
“But if we don’t, God bless the speed and all the best.”
Fury hung up his gloves after defeating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return eight months later for a third fight with Derek Chisora, whom he defeated comfortably at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Hearn said Joshua will now look to secure a clash with the winner of the February 22 fight between his former rivals Dubois and Joseph Parker, who will fight in Riyad for the IBF heavyweight world title.
If Fury returns to fight AJ, the Matchroom boss insists the loser would have nowhere to go.
“They would both be devastated by defeat,” he added.
“It’s one thing to lose the world heavyweight title, but at the same time losing in a fight of this magnitude is the biggest bragging rights.
“At this stage of their career, the last word is goodbye.
“Whoever loses this fight is finished and whoever wins it moves on and that’s what you fight for.
“You’re not just fighting for a legacy, you’re fighting to save your career.
“It’s a huge fight, but it’s not on the table right now.”
Callum Simpson defended his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles after a second-round victory over Steer Woodall on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield.
Simpson (16-0, 11 KO) proved too good for Zak Chelli in his last competition and went on to sweep wide and claim the British and Commonwealth titles last August. Woodall (19-3-1, 12 KO) picked up his best career win, stopping Lerrone Richards in six rounds in an upset in Bolton last June.
This attack ended quickly in the second round, with a right uppercut that left Woodall on wobbly legs, and then another attack punctuated by another right uppercut, leaving “The Stallion” on the deck.
Despite beating the count, referee Mark Bates waved off the fight shortly afterwards.
Simpson dedicated his victory his dead sisterwho died tragically in August in a road accident.
“It’s bittersweet,” the 28-year-old said Heavenly sports after the fight.
“I won these titles in front of all my fans, but there’s one person that I think everyone knows who I wish was here, but I know she’s looking down on me and I make her proud.”
Dubois is tied with Camara
On the card below, Caroline Dubois (10-0-1, 5 KO) made her first defense of her WBC lightweight title against Canadian Jessica Camara (14-4-1, 3 KO), but the fight ended in a technical draw.
The fight was stopped due to a cut to Camara’s left eye from the head collision, and she also went down in the first round.
Forrest stops Miller
Cruiserweight prospect Scott Forrest needed just two rounds to defeat Deevorn Miller.
Miller (8-3, 6 KO) lost once in the first and second rounds, while Forrest (7-0, 4 KO) won outright.
Undercard remaining
In the featherlight heavyweight division, where Billy Deniz defeated Mickey Ellison (15-8, 5 KO) by one point.
Deniz (13-0, 5 KO) won with a score of 77-76.
In the six-round middleweight division, Sam Hickey (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Lewis Howells (3-2) three times en route to a first-round victory, and Mauro Silva (7-0, 3 KO) scored a 59-56 victory against Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 KOs).
Ellis Price (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam Fitzmaurice (0-1) twice en route to a first-round lightweight victory.
Daniel Dubois sends a message to Tyson Fury after his retirement
“Anthony Joshua is finished and I would love to withdraw him,” says his rival
‘TANK DAVIS IS NOT RETIRING!’ – Devin Haney SLAMS Ryan Garcia & Teo Lopez, talks fight date
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