The Louis Armstrong Arena hosts world championship boxing in Queens, New York this Saturday evening with Edgar Berlanga taking on Hamzah Sheeraz.
At the top of a Golden Boy-promoted bill, a cracking clash between Sheeraz (21-0-1, KO17) and Berlanga (23-1, KO18) takes place at super middleweight over twelve rounds or less.
Sheeraz went on a run of 15 early wins, picking up domestic and ranking-building titles along the way, and 2024 saw him wipe out former world title challenger Liam Williams inside a round, before stopping Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams in 11 in Riyadh last June.
After halting the usually durable Tyler Denny in two in September, he recieved a WBC middleweight title shot against Carlos Adames in Riyadh in February.
It wasn’t to be though, as a three-way split draw ensured Adames remained champion after twelve close rounds.
It wasn’t to be though, as a three-way split draw ensured Adames remained champion. Sheeraz now moves up in weight to meet Berlanga, who was famed for 16 straight first-round wins from his first 16 fights.
Berlanga knocked out Padraig McCrory in six rounds last February, and that would eventually earn him a crack at world honours last September, but he found Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez too hot to handle in Las Vegas, and he was decked before losing widely on the cards.
‘The Chosen One’ did return with a one-round blowout of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in March to take the vacant WBO NABO super middleweight crown.
Prediction: This could be a real shootout, and I just about lean towards Sheeraz to be the victor in the middle rounds.
Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda
On the undercard, Shakur Stevenson defends his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda.
Stevenson (23-0, KO11) has gone about his business with precision as a professional to date, and a run as world champion began in 2021, where he broke Jamel Herring down for a tenth-round stoppage for the WBO super featherweight title.
He then added the WBC belt with a masterful points win over Oscar Valdez, but would lose his belts on the scales before widely outscoring Robson Conceicao in September 2022.
A move to lightweight saw him take the vacant WBC title in November 2023 with a points success against Edwin De Los Santos, and after another points win, this time against Artem Harutyunyan, Stevenson last defended in February, where he halted the brave Josh Padley in nine after the Englishman came in at very short notice.
Zepeda (33-0, KO27) makes a big step up in class for his first world title shot.
The Mexican had to get off the floor to take a contentious split decision win over ten against Tevin Farmer last November to win the WBC interim bauble, and a rematch saw him take a majority verdict in March.
Farmer would be knocked out inside a round three months later by Floyd Schofield.
Prediction: Stevenson is a skilled operator, while Zepeda has largely been carefully matched by his handlers, and he may find this level too much to overcome. Stevenson can retain widely on points.
Remaining Undercard
WBC super lightweight champion Alberto Puello (24-0, KO10) defends his crown for the second time against former IBF boss Subriel Matias (22-2, KO22).
Puello had a spell as interim champion, but was then upgraded, and celebrated with a split decision win against Sandor Martin in March in a first defence.
Matias made one defence of his world title before losing on points to Liam Paro in June last year, but has won twice since, both inside the distance.
Prediction: Puello is a technician, and he can frustrate Matias in what should be a clear points win for the champion.
David Morrell (11-1, KO9) looks to rebuild after suffering defeat to David Benavidez in his last outing, and the light heavyweight can halt the unbeaten but unproven Imam Khataev (10-0, KO9) before the end of the scheduled ten-rounder.
In six-rounders, Mohammed Alakel (4-0, KO0) can win on points at lightweight against Placido Hoff (2-3-1, KO0), and Reito Tsutsumi (1-0, KO0) can do the same against Isiah Rodrigues (3-3, KO1) at super featherweight.
