It was his first fight at super middleweight, but Hamzah Sheeraz just proved he has what it takes. The Brit did what even Canelo Alvarez couldn’t—he dominated Edgar Berlanga, battering the Brooklyn-born boxer before dropping him twice in the fourth round and once more at the start of the fifth. That final knockdown sealed the deal.

Referee David Fields waved off the contest immediately after Berlanga hit the canvas for the third time, handing Sheeraz a statement-making fifth-round knockout victory. With a thunderous debut at 168 pounds, Sheeraz used his post-fight interview to send a chilling message to the division’s top dog, Canelo Alvarez.

“Canelo has always been a boxing hero of mine,” Berlanga said with admiration. “So, even for my name to be mentioned in the same sentence as his, that’s a great achievement myself.” But Sheeraz made it clear that admiration won’t stop him from chasing greatness. “If I do get the opportunity to fight him, it won’t be one of those where I try to nick it on points, I will stand in the middle of him and have it out.” 

“Whoever lands first, I suppose they’re gonna knock out, don’t they,” he concluded. Notably, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh had previously promised that if Sheeraz could defeat Berlanga, a clash with Canelo would be next. Canelo, who is currently on a collision course with two-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford, will enter his second bout under a four-fight deal with the GEA chairman. 

Their showdown is scheduled for September 13th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Should Canelo emerge victorious, a fight with Sheeraz seems all but inevitable. In the meantime, Edgar Berlanga’s embarrassment just got doubled. 

Oscar De La Hoya reacts to Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz; Canelo Alvarez catches a stray

During the press conference for the bout, Berlanga and Oscar De La Hoya collided, throwing insults at each other. Berlanga took out a leather bag and threw a wig, money, and pink women’s underwear at De La Hoya, leading to a heated exchange between the two. However, with Berlanga dropped twice before being dispatched with a knockout, Oscar didn’t miss a beat. 

Sharing a clip of himself wearing a wig and mimicking a woman on social media, Oscar De La Hoya trolled Edgar Berlanga after his loss to Hamzah Sheeraz. “Sheeraz, congratulations. Berlanga, oh my god, you got knocked out,” De La Hoya said mockingly. He didn’t stop there—De La Hoya also took a jab at his former star fighter, Canelo Alvarez, by adding, “Something Canelo Alvarez couldn’t do.”

Edgar Berlanga will have to go back to the drawing board after suffering his second career defeat at the hands of Hamzah Sheeraz. Meanwhile, things are truly looking up for Sheeraz, who may end up securing the biggest fight of his career against Canelo. What do you think about that fight?