Card of the Century!

On Saturday evening at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Hamzah Sheeraz will be looking to make headlines all of his own when he bid to become the WBC Middleweight Champion of the World.

Sheeraz is up against the formidable and highly confident Carlos Adames from the Dominican Republic, who graduated from WBC Interim to full champion last year and made a successful first defence against Terrell Gausha in Las Vegas, which he now calls home.

Should Sheeraz triumph and take the famous green and gold belt back in his luggage, he would become the first British holder of the WBC world middleweight title since Alan Minter in 1980 when he defeated Vito Antuofermo at Caesars Palace and then defended against the Italian at Wembley. Minter won both the WBC and WBA titles.

“This is what dreams are made of,” said the undefeated knockout specialist who has clocked up 15 stoppages in a row. “When it comes to this level I have never been a man of too many words or talked too much s**t.

“I just go about my business, handle it, and Saturday night is no different.”

Adames, for his part, has chosen the label of victim rather than opponent as he prepares to defend against the Queensberry man.

“I believe that he hasn’t fought any fighter with a skill level close to mine,” retorted the 30-year-old. “His first real fight will be against the best guy in the 160lbs division. I am sure it will be a very good fight, but it won’t be a decision.”

At heavyweight, Zhilei Zhang was expanding on his Big Bang Theory ahead of his big collision with Agit Kabayel in an all-Queensberry affair.

The WBC Interim world title will be on the line and Zhang was quick to employ his now customary punchline.

“My confidence comes from my training and discipline. On Saturday I am going to bang him. I am Big Bang, I bang you.”

“I keep hearing he will bang me!” responded the unbeaten Kabayel. “We will see on Saturday if he bangs me or I bang him.”

Unfortunately, Daniel Dubois is unable to join the heavyweight party this weekend after illness ruled him out of his IBF world title defence against Joseph Parker. Parker is expected to remain on the card with a defence of his WBO Interim world title with confirmation set to follow.

You can’t get much bigger than the headliner, with the distinction of being undisputed light heavyweight world champion being fought for between the current ruler Artur Beterbiev and his rival for supremacy in Dmitrii Bivol.

Beterbiev was favoured on two of the scorecards following the original encounter in October, with the other judge marking a draw. Will this be Round 13 of a light heavyweight classic.

Watching on with a vested interest will be the winner of the all-British showdown at light heavyweight between WBO Interim world champion Joshua Buatsi and the challenger Callum Smith, the former super middleweight world champion.

Whoever prevails will be at the head of the queue when Beterbiev or Bivol are next on mandatory duty, while it remains to be seen if the victor will maintain a four-belt reign or relinquish some of the belts.

Anthony Yarde is also on the ground in Riyadh to push forward his case.

Also tipped to be a cracker is the WBC Interim world super welterweight title clash between the champion Vergil Ortiz Jr and Israil Madrimov, plus Shakur Stevenson now faces a British challenge for his WBC world lightweight title from Josh Padley, a late replacement for Floyd Schofield, who succumbed to illness.

All the action will unfold from Riyadh on TNT Sports Box Office from 4pm.