Former world title challenger Spencer Oliver believes Hamzah Sheeraz will beat Canelo Alvarez if the two meet next year, arguing that age and time are starting to work against the Mexican star.

Sheeraz won the WBO super middleweight title last Saturday with a dominant victory over Al Begic, which immediately sparked fresh discussion about a future showdown with Canelo. During a boxing discussion this week, Oliver said he would prefer Sheeraz if the fight took place in England.

“I bet that Hamzah will beat him,” Oliver said in an interview with Sport Boxing. “I think when you look at it, there’s a decline with Canelo Alvarez. I think we’ve seen that. The punching power is increasing now with every single shot and everything. Hamzah Sheeraz is going through it.

“I think when and if this fight happens, each month that goes by will favor Hamzah Sheeraz more and more. I think it’s all about the timing of this fight. I think that could happen. Sheeraz wins it.”

Oliver wasn’t alone in supporting Sheeraz. The panel discussion focused on whether Canelo is entering the final stage of his career and whether younger fighters are coming into the ring at the right time.

The Sheeraz-Canelo fight remains speculation. Canelo is scheduled to defend his super middleweight title against Christian Mbilla on September 12, and Sheeraz is expected to begin exploring his options as the newly crowned world champion.

The September fight may answer some of the questions posed by Oliver. Canelo has won several of his last fights, but critics pointed to periods of less activity in the second half of fights against opponents such as Dmitry Bivol, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jaime Munguia, Edgar Berlanga and Terence Crawford.

If Canelo convincingly defeats Mbilli, calls for a fight with Sheeraz will likely become louder. If he struggles or loses, the conversation may look very different at the end of the year.

Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most vital fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.

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Last updated: 29/05/2026 at 11:03

Despite being just 21 years senior and having made just eight professional appearances, Fran Hennessy hopes to become the undisputed champion within the next 12 months.

Such a feat would overshadow the phenomenal achievement of Gabriela Fundora, who became the youngest player in history, either male or female, to hold all four major titles simultaneously.

She did so at the age of 22 in November 2024, giving Hennessy about a year to make history by dethroning bantamweight queen Cherneka Johnson.

As the mandatory challenger for the WBC 118-pound title, Hennessy fully expects to face Johnson before their fight is ordered.

By then, however, the undefeated challenger described Aurora De Persio as an “ideal opponent” to continue to actively fight at London’s Wembley Arena and who will feature in Adam Azim’s match against Steve Claggett on Saturday.

Speaking to Boxing News, among others, Hennessy also said she suspects potential rival “Sugar Neekz” has an unofficial date on the diary.

“I think Cherneka already has a fight lined up… but we will definitely push for that fight to happen. I would love to become the youngest ever undisputed world champion.

“In the meantime – until this fight is over – I want to be busy and I feel Aurora is the perfect opponent for that.

Both I and my team believe in this [a WBC title shot might come] at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. All I know is that when this fight is called, I will be ready – and I will take it with both hands.

“If Czerneka keeps all the lanes, and I’m sure he will, I will do it [mandated] fight for everyone [four] of them.”

Entering his third fight on the BBC, Hennessy is out majority vote victory over Ellie Bouttell in January when she was suddenly elevated to the main event after a failed showdown with Azim.

She says this experience only strengthened her self-confidence and growth as it not only involved the pressure of headlining Boxxer, but also forced her to overcome a tough night’s work.

“It was amazing, it was a great fight, it was a dogfight that I’m glad I was involved in. I experienced different things in this last fight.

“I came out and normally I was just cheering, but it was also a great experience.

“I was very nervous and I think it had to do with being a headliner for the first time. I haven’t experienced this before and I’m only 21, but now I’ve learned to deal with it all calmly.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself then, but now I’m just a joyful player.”

Already on the verge of a world title shot, perhaps even an undisputed crown, Hennessy certainly subscribes to the senior adage that a “joyful fighter” means a “unsafe fighter” capable of defeating a top-class opponent like Johnson.

The Usyk vs. Verhoeven II fight is becoming one of the most talked-about rematches in boxing after the controversial fight at the Pyramids of Giza. But before promoters start striking while the iron is sizzling, the heavyweight title picture needs to be addressed.

The second fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven is no longer fiction. The discussion now turned to what this would mean for the heavyweight titles.

Verhoeven exceeded expectations in Egypt, pushed Usyk harder than many thought possible and, as the official scorecards later showed, fought tough in the fight before a controversial stoppage in the eleventh round.

The Dutchman is expected to be given a place in the WBC heavyweight rankings after Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed he deserved it.

But the bigger question is what happens to the stripes.

Heavyweight title standings

As the holder of the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight championships, Usyk is subject to agreed mandatory rotation among sanctioning bodies.

First in line is the WBC, followed by the WBA and finally the IBF, which successfully took advantage of its turn when Daniel Dubois fought for the undisputed title.

This sequence is vital because Usyk has repeatedly said he only has two fights left before he retires.

At 39 years elderly, it’s tough to imagine the Ukrainian spending the final chapter of his career working on every must-see opponent that comes his way.

This reality creates several possible paths of development.

Kabayel remains the favorite

The most likely next fight remains the patient Agit Kabayel.

Members of the WBC Ranking Committee have already confirmed that Kabayel is the mandatory challenger to Usyk, while Mauricio Sulaiman recently reiterated that the Usyk vs Kabayel fight must take place this year.

Usyk has long talked about his desire to return to fight in Kiev, which is impossible due to the ongoing war.

Germany offers the closest alternative.

With more than 1.5 million Ukrainians currently living in Germany after being displaced by the conflict, a stadium fight would be the closest Usyk has come to fighting in front of his own people since becoming heavyweight champion.

For this reason alone, defending Kabayel seems like the most logical next step.

Verhoeven’s rematch after Kabayel?

If Usyk defeats Kabayel, the door will immediately open for a rematch with Verhoeven.

At this point, Rico would already be ranked in the WBC and would have a stronger claim than before the first fight. The kickboxer would simply have to remain undefeated in any interim fight.

The WBC title could still be attached to the fight, and The Ring championship would likely be available as well.

Recent decisions have shown that The Ring is willing to take a adaptable approach to championship criteria, making winning the belt easier than in previous eras.

This scenario currently looks like the most realistic plan of action.

Usyk completes his mandatory defense, a welcome homecoming atmosphere prevails in Germany, and then retires against Verhoeven in one of the greatest rematches boxing has ever seen.

What if they keep fighting?

The direct route of the rematch is where things get complicated.

If Usyk bypasses Kabayel and goes straight into a second fight with Verhoeven, his unified reign will likely come to an end before the opening bell.

The WBC will almost certainly have to move forward with Kabayel under its mandatory rules, and the WBA and IBF will also face pressure to enforce the agreed championship order.

A rematch could still happen, but other titles simply may not come.

In such a scenario, a second fight between Usyk and Verhoeven could occur with only The Ring championship at stake, while the major sanctioning bodies would crown or elevate other title holders.

The only way all lanes stay engaged

There is one final possibility.

Usyk could defeat Kabayel and then assure the WBA and IBF that retirement is not imminent, preserving the possibility of carrying all three world titles into a rematch with Verhoeven.

This is the cleanest route from a championship perspective, but whether it is realistic for a player approaching 40 who has openly talked about retiring is a completely different matter.

Whatever happens next, one thing has become clear since May 23.

The real discussion isn’t whether Usyk and Verhoeven will meet again. That’s how many lanes will survive when this happens.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.