Hamzah Sheeraz has had September 21st on her calendar for months.
The undefeated middleweight had been pushed into the main event at Riyad’s Wembley Stadium even before his impressive stoppage of Austin “Ammo” Williams in May, but until this week finding a quality opponent was proving arduous.
The names most often associated with him are WBC champion Carlos Adames and Chris Eubank Jr. European middleweight champion Tyler Denny (19-2-3 (1 KO)) only became a viable option after his victory over Felix Cash in Birmingham on Saturday night.
On Monday morning, Denny’s name began to be mentioned in boxing circles. The fight was signed on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday afternoon they faced each other at a press conference to announce the fight.
After establishing Williams’ threatening undefeated record, mandatory WBC title challenger Sheeraz (20-0 (16 KO)) will already begin to mentally prepare for another tough fight, but one where the potential rewards outweighed the risks. Instead, he will enter the ring as a significant favorite against a determined, in-form champion who himself has nothing to lose. Their roles may have changed, but the mature, composed 25-year-old is known for his detailed preparation and has already changed his attitude.
“I can only fight whoever they put in front of me,” he told TNT. “I’ve given the green lightweight to about four different opponents, world champions and class opponents – I’m not saying Tyler Denny isn’t – but I feel like this fight is one of those where everyone talks about it being such a gigantic step forward for Tyler, they forget about what I can do.
“If I don’t take it seriously, it’s a potential banana peel. If I take this seriously, it will be a fight that will take me to the next level in terms of how I perform on September 21st. I can assure you now that you will undoubtedly see the best version of me.
Sheeraz’s promoter, Frank Warren, took him on as a raw, lanky 18-year-old, but Warren quickly chose the youngster as his future champion. Still, even he must be a little surprised at how smoothly Sheeraz’s rise to the global level has been. Since moving up to 160 pounds two years ago, he has performed flawlessly, and his physique has grown outside the ring as well. The weight of expectations began to become heavier, but Sheeraz carried it with ease. He talks about accepting the pressure and emphasizes that if he is to reach the heights he believes he is capable of, he must learn to deal with it.
“To be like ‘Canelo’ Alvarez or Floyd Mayweather, you have to put yourself in that situation and you have to be consistent,” he said. “To be a world-class player, consistency is the most critical thing. If you continue to perform and perform better, you will become bigger and better. This is what makes it a threatening fight. There is no pressure on Tyler Denny. All the pressure is on me.”
After a rocky start to his career, Denny is riding a wave and has figured out how to adapt his style to suit his needs. Although his victory over Cash was officially a technical decision, the cut Cash suffered around his right eye after the clash of heads only saved him from a long and arduous night. Denny really started to show his motor and had a career-best finish as the fight went on the scorecards midway through the fifth round.
Denny may only have one win over the distance, but the 32-year-old fights – and punches – with the confidence of a champion and has stopped the previously undefeated Cash on more than one occasion. Sheeraz knows that Denny can punish him for any momentary lapse in concentration.
“Just a little pressure on the chin and you’re gone,” he said. “It’s not one of those situations where I think he can’t hit and I’ll guide him. He has always defied the odds, so when he comes into this situation he will think, “I always do this.” It’s nothing up-to-date for me.”
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