Hamzah Sheeraz bulldozed his way to his first world title by stopping Alem Begic in Round 2 with a vicious body shot on Saturday.
Sheeraz (23-1-1, 19 KOs), 26, from east London, won the vacant WBO world super middleweight title after dominating the first round and then left his German opponent in agony with a left to the body at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Begic (29-1-1, 23 KOs), 39, from Munich, quickly discovered he was out of his depth as Sheeraz landed thudding jabs and then opened up with left hooks in Round 2 on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk's world heavyweight title defence vs. Rico Verhoeven.
Sheeraz secured the win two minutes and 33 seconds in Round 2, then did not waste any time in stoking up interest for a potential fight vs. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (63-3, 39 KOs), the former undisputed world super middleweight champion who announced earlier Saturday he will challenge WBC titleholder Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) on Sept. 12.
"I did what I was meant to do tonight, let's not get it twisted, but it's got me to the world stage and I'm calling on all 168 pounders," Sheeraz said afterwards.
"It was simple, I saw he was very negative after I landed the first punch and it was about walking him down and getting him out of there.
"I will fight anyone. There's royalty [sat] ringside and I'm trying to follow in their footsteps, we know who was meant to be in the ring tonight but that didn't happen. I will collect all the belts and this time next year you could see Hamzah Sheeraz as the unified champion of the 168 pound division. If Canelo wins his next fight then it's up to him. I believe he [Canelo] is one of the GOATs of boxing and to share the ring with him would be an honour and if I get the opportunity I will get the win for sure."
Sheeraz went into the fight off a brutal fifth-round stoppage on Edgar Berlanga in New York last July and was determined to improve upon the disappointing draw vs. WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in his previous world title attempt in February last year.
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Begic had not mixed in the same class as Sheeraz and he was outclassed from the opening bell.
Six-foot-three Sheeraz started on the front foot behind a stiff jab as Begic spent most of the opening session covering up. Sheeraz let his hands go in Round 2 with a series of left hooks and Begic offered nothing in reply. As Begic covered up, he left himself exposed to a body shot and Sheeraz seized the opportunity by digging in a left. Begic was left doubled up in pain and unable to beat the count.
This was Sheeraz's second fight with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee as his trainer and it's a partnership that is clearly working.
"I've only worked with him two fights and I'm world champion," Sheeraz said. "This was just the start of what I can do."
