It all started with a casual tweet. Back in January, Edgar Berlanga had one thing on his mind—redemption. Still stung by his first career loss to Canelo Álvarez in September 2024, the Brooklyn native took to social media with a six-man hit list. It included names like Jaime Munguia, Caleb Plant, Jermall Charlo—and right in the middle—Hamzah Sheeraz. This was especially strange considering Sheeraz was preparing for a title shot with the WBC middleweight champion at the time. Regardless, Berlanga wanted big fights and a fast track back to the top of the super middleweight division. Thankfully for us, one of those names didn’t stay silent.

Hamzah Sheeraz, while gearing up for a huge clash against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames, coolly responded: “I’ve got business to handle first. Once I win, we’ll talk.” Berlanga shot back almost instantly: “Let’s do it champ… we both got fights coming up. Let’s handle business and we’ll talk after,” tagging DAZN and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to get the ball rolling. Edgar Berlanga kept up his end of the bargain with a first-round knockout win over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz. However, things got close to disastrous for the British knockout artist. Sheeraz, while struggling to make the weight at 160 lbs, battled Adames to a gritty draw. Though he kept his undefeated record, a move up in weight seemed like the right next move after bungling a world title shot. So, here we are.

Now, the stage is set: Berlanga vs. Sheeraz, headlining Ring III at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on July 12—a WBC super middleweight title eliminator that would put them on a collision course with the king. Yesterday, the official press conference in New York laid the path for the two to begin their rivalry until fight night. On the sidelines of the event, Hamzah Sheeraz decided to fire the first salvo. During a Word Association game with The Ring, the 25-year-old was asked to respond to the names of his fellow boxers.

Of course, the first name was the top of the division, Canelo Alvarez. “GOAT,” replied Sheeraz. Then came Jaime Munguia. “Tough,” he declared. Then, Jermall Charlo. “Has-Been,” he replied. Carlos Adames: “Good Fighter.” Janibek Alimkhanuly: “Skillful.” Diego Pacheco: “Talent.” Then he was asked to describe himself. His answer? “Gonna knock Edgar Berlanga out.” Then came his rival’s name. With a cold-as-ice face, Sheeraz dropped the hammer: “Clown.”

One word, zero chill—and fans felt the heat instantly. For Sheeraz, this fight is more than just banter. The Brit is stepping into a new chapter—his first fight in the U.S., his first at super middleweight, and his first with new trainer Andy Lee. But he’s not easing into it. As promoter Frank Warren put it, “He’s not dipping his toe in—he’s jumped straight in the pond.”

What makes this matchup even juicier is what’s waiting beyond it. Both Berlanga and Sheeraz have their eyes set on the same prize.

All roads lead to the King Canelo Álvarez 

For Edgar Berlanga, a win over Sheeraz could rebuild his momentum and earn him a second shot at the man who took his ‘0’. He sees this as the fight that puts him back in that conversation. Since being dropped and outpointed by Canelo last year, he’s made it clear he wants that rematch. He even tweeted during one of Canelo’s recent fights, “My God, this damn fight is boring! I need the rematch #caneloberlanga2,” and doubled down with, “Let’s do the rematch in 2026… Puerto Rico and Mexico are the best.” The hunger’s still there—and so is the pressure to deliver.

For Hamzah Sheeraz, a win on July 12 would be the biggest moment of his career—and possibly his golden ticket to a Canelo Alvarez fight, something that he’s been dreaming for long. And he’s got powerful backing. Frank Warren has openly said that if Sheeraz beats Berlanga, Canelo should be next.

“Twenty years as a pro, he’s been doing it since he was a kid and it’s a funny thing, you look at him and you think to yourself, ‘If Hamzah Sheeraz can beat [Edgar] Berlanga, then I’ve got to fancy him to have a chance of beating [Canelo,” the British promoter told The Ring. The veteran promoter, who was ringside for Canelo’s recent win over William Scull, believes the timing is right, and Sheeraz has what it takes to challenge the Mexican great in the future.

Neither man has held a world title. Both are unbeaten. And both know this fight isn’t just about rankings—it’s about who gets to stand across from boxing royalty next. Whether it’s Edgar Berlanga’s home crowd fire or Hamzah Sheeraz’s stone-cold confidence, this clash is personal, powerful, and potentially career-changing.