Sheeraz vs WIlliams

Undefeated middleweight star, Hamzah Sheeraz, will face the most severe test of his career to date when he takes on former world title challenger Liam Williams at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, 2 December, live on TNT Sports.

Tickets for Sheeraz vs Williams go on sale at 12pm on Tuesday, 10 October available from: ticketmaster.co.uk

Sheeraz (18-0, 4 KOs), the WBC Silver champion, comes into the fight off the back of two hugely impressive quick stoppages over River Wilson-Bent and Dmytro Mytrofanov, who were both brutally dispatched in the second round.

The 26-year-old is making a third defence of his WBC belt and a second defence of the Commonwealth title he won against Wilson-Bent.

Welshman Williams (24-4-1, 19) returned to winning ways in November with a quick-fire victory over Nizar Trimech at York Hall after being on the wrong end of two 12 round points decisions against then middleweight world champion Demetrius Andrade and Chris Eubank jr.

Prior to his Andrade encounter, the 31-year-old became a two-weight British champion and embarked on a run of wins at middleweight that saw him win the WBC Silver and WBO Intercontinental titles in a five-fight reign of terror that resulted in as many showreel stoppages.

Sheeraz believes success against a fighter of the calibre and profile of Williams will serve to raise his own stock in British fight fan circles.

“It is definitely a great fight and a great fight for me at this stage of my career,” he reasoned. “Obviously, for him, it is a comeback fight and if he were to beat me, he would be back on the scene again, but this is a fight I feel I am more than ready for.

“It is something I almost need to get the attention of the British public. He has fought for world titles, and it is definitely my hardest fight to date, but it is a challenge I am relishing, and I know what I can do.

“I’ve just got to go in there and do what I do best. People have got to remember though, that he is a dangerous fighter with a lot to prove and he will come in hungry. I’ve got to prepare for the best version of Liam Williams.”

‘The Machine’ Williams is looking forward to getting back into championship contention on his previous stage.

“I am excited to be back on TNT Sports,” he said. “It is a really great platform, and I am excited for the fight. I think it is one all the people want to see, and I saw that fans are getting excited about it after one or two things leaked out on social media.

“People seem to be loving the idea of this fight already. Hamzah is a very good fighter and is obviously very tall and rangy, he can punch a bit and, overall, it will be a good challenge and one that I am really up for.

“I cannot wait for December, so bring it on!”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “This has got all the makings of a middleweight classic. We know all about Liam from working with him for a large part of his career and he always delivers the goods, entertainment-wise, plus he is a ferocious competitor.

“Making this fight for Hamzah shows the confidence we have in him and how impressed we have been with his development as a middleweight force.

“This will be his toughest fight, no question about it. Liam has operated at the top level and, should Hamzah overcome him, he will be ready to take the step up himself.

“Most of all, I am sure it will be a thrilling fight from start to finish.”

WINS
21
LOSES
0
DRAW
0
KOs
17

HamzahSheeraz

Hamzah Sheeraz is now a major force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division.

The 25-year-old is now the WBC Silver, Commonwealth and European middleweight champion and has recently been installed as mandatory challenger for the WBO world championship held by Janibek Alimkhanuly.

His devastating destruction of domestic rival River Wilson-Bent in November 2022 in just two rounds put the 160-pounders on notice that a new and lethal threat was on the horizon.

Sheeraz works away from home in California but was far from forgotten by the boxing scribes of the Boxing Writers’ Club, who honoured him with the Young Boxer of the Year for 2022.

An illustrious list of former world champions have been a recipient of the award that is presented at the Savoy Hotel on London's Embankment.

The new EBU champion is training under the experienced Ricky Funez at the Ten Goose gym in Los Angeles. Sheeraz switched to his new base in 2021 and believes the results of his upheaval are there for everyone to see.

Honduran born Funez learned the boxing business under Dan and Joe Goossen and worked with some of the sport’s biggest names. That list includes the late Diego Corrales, Shane Mosley, Azumah Nelson, Michael Nunn, Gabe Ruelas, Rafael Ruelas, James Toney and Israel Vazquez.

Hamzah set out to chase the American dream after meeting with Funez in London in 2019.

The strapping 6ft 4" Sheeraz, still just 25, has reached 21-0 (17 KOs) in the professional ranks since making his debut at the Copper Box Arena in September 2017. He holds the longest running KO-streak in British boxing.

Liam Davies

"Dangerous"

Liam Davies is delivering in style each time he steps through the ropes and is a true success story of British boxing, having become IBO super bantamweight champion of the world with a stunning victory over Erik Robles Ayala in March.

He oozed class when he won the vacant WBC International Silver Super Bantamweight title against Dixon Flores in Birmingham in October 2021 and in June of 2022 he fulfilled his dream of becoming British champion by outpointing Marc Leach, who was making his first defence of the treasured belt.

His two previous fights under the Queensberry banner in 2021 had been spectacular exhibitions of blistering power and accuracy.

The encounters against Stefan Slavchev and Raymond Commey lasted a combined nine minutes and 53 seconds and featured four knockdowns before the referee intervened to spare further punishment.

He had been brought to Frank Warren’s attention winning the English Bantamweight title in November of 2020 when his heavy hands forced Sean Cairns to retire on his stool after six rounds.

Prior to winning that title he was striving to make a name for himself on the small hall circuit and picking up experience against redoubtable journeymen.

In November 2022 in his hometown of Telford, Davies secured his then biggest and most notable win to date when he became European champion via a convincing points defeat of Ionut Baluta for the vacant title.

In July of 2023, he added the WBO International title to his collection in a four-belt battle against Jason Cunningham. The experienced Iceman, against all expectations, was stopped in just the first round as Davies put his name up in lights.

Davies completed a successful mandatory defence of his EBU belt against Vincenzo La Femina in Manchester before his triumph over Ayala and now a first defence will come against the undefeated Shabaz Masoud on November 2 in Birmingham.