Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz faces the toughest test of his pro career tonight, as he captains Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions in their heavily-anticipated 5v5 duel with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He’ll face unbeaten American southpaw Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, with big things tipped for the victor given the existing landscape at middleweight.
Sheeraz hails team, enhanced his skills beyond expectations
Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Ammo Williams in middleweight bout of unbeaten boxers
Part of the Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5v5 card live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Main card begins at 7pm BST, Sheeraz-Williams likely to start anytime after 9pm
HAMZAH Sheeraz doesn’t like to dwell on the past, having vanquished Dmytro Mytrofanov in Wroclaw last year or stopped Liam Williams inside a round on his first main event showdown six months later. Four months on, the heavy-handed middleweight has an even sterner test ahead as his exciting growth continues.
A perforated eardrum injury sustained during the last days of his original training camp forced a postponement from the December date, otherwise Sheeraz would’ve likely been out again staying active abroad in March.
He was in attendance for the Fury-Usyk inaugural presser – another fight postponed back then – and there echoed the sentiments of many, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s investment in the sport was a benefit for all involved especially when the biggest fights between rival promotions could be brokered without issues.
Williams, three years Sheeraz’s senior, was linked to a world title eliminator against Matchroom’s Felix Cash for a long while but nothing materialised.
Eddie Hearn even had Williams watch Cash’s hard-fought battle with Portugal’s Celso Neves ringside in Leeds, building a prospective future bout as they jawed at one another awkwardly soon afterwards to drum up more fight build-up buzz.
Cash’s personal issues outside the ring, as well as injury and a change of trainer, appears to have shelved that idea for the meantime as he prepares for a domestic duel against Tyler Denny later this month. Felix wants the Sheeraz-Williams winner.
I sat down for a chat with the 19-0 boxer in mid-April a day after the poorly-kept secret about the 5v5 line-ups were officially unveiled at a London press conference.
Here’s how it went down…
Mosope: Talk to me about how things have been, obviously we’re two months removed from the Liam Williams performance… going back to the gym, Ramadan just finished, how has everything been for you personally?
Hamzah: Everything has been great man, can’t complain. Good win but that’s in the past now, it’s done, part of history, Ramadan great and we spoke in Saudi Arabia, I stayed there for the first few nights with the team, feel blessed. Now, it’s all about business again… a fighter’s life is very unique, like a recycle ecosystem, it’s the same thing. Go through a process, then time off, then go through it again.
Sheeraz’s own progression and looking forward to Ammo
MO: Looking ahead to Ammo Williams, what would you say is his biggest strength?
HS: He’s a good fighter, strong, can punch, powerful, got it all… been winning and doing everything asked of him, here we are. He meets me in the ring, I do the same, but I believe I do everything better than he does and come fight night, I’m gonna have all the tools and ingredients to nullify whatever he tries to do.
MO: In terms of making improvements on a fight-by-fight basis, you’re still only 24, Williams was supposed to be in December and that got rescheduled, this is now in June. How much do you feel you improve fight-by-fight, you talk about training in America and how that’s helped you, but how do you see that progression?
HS: It all comes down to what you do in camp, ultimately, how you’re able to transition that into the ring on fight night. That’s where everything matters!
There are a lot of fighters nowadays who can do it in the gym but come fight night, can’t do nothing. As long as I keep making that transition with Ricky [Funez, his head coach] and the team, I’ll be fighting for world titles before you know it.
MO: Perfect segue to talk about Ricky and the team. We spoke before going to Wroclaw last August, how important the individual roles within have been to help you, but what is the biggest thing they’ve given you in your arsenal?
HS: It’s not what they’ve given me, it’s what they have perfected that I already had!
My jab, my movement, they’ve enhanced it to levels I wouldn’t have even thought I was capable of. That’s what a great trainer does, right? They fix what you have, or make it better and that’s exactly what they continue to do.
Heaney-Pauls, their rematch and future options
MO: Speaking of seeing you somewhere, I spotted you in Birmingham for Heaney-Pauls. What were your thoughts on that fight, and what’s next for Nathan… they were saying immediate rematch but things have gone cold. What do you think?
HS: I had Heaney winning, by two rounds, no need for a rematch if he wants to progress but it makes sense since there was no winner first time around.
MO: Is that, facing Heaney for the British title, a fight you want?
HS: I wouldn’t say want, or need either, but it’s there. There’s loads of viable options, we’ll see what happens.
MO: On a big bill, the world’s media and spotlight will be on you as Queensberry captain. How does that sound?
HS: It’s a massive honour, I’ve always said Frank and [manager] Andy [Ayling] gave me opportunities and the platform when no-one else did.
Frank picking me as the captain, it’s my time to give back, show him he picked the right kid, it’s nice to know I’m leading the team going into Saudi. Although it’s an individual sport, our collective wins will allow us to dominate.
Tonight’s card is as follows
Heavyweight: Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang
Daniel Dubois vs. Filip Hrgovic for IBF interim heavyweight title
Middleweight: Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Austin Williams
Dimitry Bivol (c) vs. Malik Zinad for WBA, IBO light-heavyweight world titles
Raymond Ford (c) vs. Nick Ball for WBA world featherweight title
Light-heavy: Craig Richards vs. Willy Hutchinson
Matchroom: Wilder (c), Ford, Hrgovic, Williams and Richards
Queensberry: Zhang, Ball, Dubois, Sheeraz (c) and Hutchinson
Two points for KO/TKO, one for UD, MD, captain can score double
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 