HAMZAH SHEERAZ is out to silence American loudmouth Edgar Berlanga and earn a shot at Canelo Alvarez in one fell swoop.
The Londoner moves up to super-middleweight on Saturday in New York to face Berlanga – who was dominated over 12 rounds by Canelo last September.
Hamzah Sheeraz wants to fight Canelo Alvarez[/caption]
Canelo has teased a UK debut fight in the past[/caption]
And already Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh is lining up Sheeraz as a future opponent for Canelo – who is signed to a four-bout deal.
Without the backing of Alalshikh, Sheeraz would just be another in the long queue to fight boxing’s biggest superstar.
And he told SunSport: “It’s good because listen, it gives that extra added motivation to really do well in this fight and that’s the plan.
“Get the W and then on to bigger and better things, to solidify myself, cement myself as an official 168 pounder.
“Someone who’s kind of worthy of being in the ring with him, do you know what I mean?
“So, Edgar Berlanga is the man in the way, stopping that. So he’s next in line.”
Canelo, 34, faces unbeaten Terence Crawford, 37, on September 13 in their blockbuster Las Vegas undisputed title fight.
But the four-division champ has insisted he wants to fight in the UK before he closes out his iconic career.
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Sheeraz is one of Canelo’s very limited options to face on British soil – and grins at the prospect of welcoming the modern great across the pond.
He said: “I mean it makes sense, wouldn’t it?
“It makes sense especially with it being his last few fights, it’d be great, it’d be an honour.
“But as for now, like I said, for all that to be a reality, the buck stops with Berlanga.”
Berlanga once recorded 16 straight first-round stoppages and looked to be one of boxing’s most fierce prospects.
But the KO streak died down – as did the hype around the New Yorker’s name – despite the winning run continuing.
That was until he met Canelo last year in Vegas, losing a decision after being dropped with a left hook in round three.
Berlanga – who bounced back with a straight forward first-round stoppage in March – has been accused of dining out on his loss to Canelo.
And the brash Brooklynite – of Puerto Rican descent – has gone on the vocal front foot in a bid to intimidate Sheeraz.
But the well-mannered Brit – getting his first taste of Yank trash-talking – is soaking it all in like the greats did before him.
Sheeraz said: “He thinks he’s an American, rapper or something, doesn’t he? Each to their own, though I’m not judging.
“It’s good because when you’re a youngster watching all these American fights and whatnot, overseas fights when I was in the UK, you see all this drama and you see all these brash Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Americans on the whole.
“Now that I’m here fighting one, it’s good. I’m cherishing every moment and come July, pretty sure I’m gonna do the job.”
Edgar Berlanga facing off with Sheeraz[/caption]
