Middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact with a first-round annihilation of Liam Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) on Saturday night at the CopperBox Arena in London.
The fight was over so quickly that it was difficult to get an accurate gauge on the 24-year-old Sheerez to note whether he was as good as he looked or whether the 31-year-old Williams was completely washed.
The Rise of Sheeraz
Sheerez, 6’3″, who some feel is the future star of the 160-lb division, knocked Williams down with a jab to the head early in the first round. The jab looked like Sheerez had put nothing into it.
He threw it as if he was reaching out and had the effect of dropping Williams as if he’d been shot with a rifle. When Williams got back to his feet, he was blinking his eyes like he wasn’t okay from the punch.
The lanky frame of Sheerez hides his deceptive power, as he looked like he is hurting Williams with every punch.
A short time later, Sheerez landed a right uppercut that bowled Williams over, putting him down on the seat of his pants. This time, he looked badly hurt, making it clear that he moved around and clinched, and he was going to get stopped.
Unfortunately for Williams, he did neither of those guys, and Sheerez took advantage of it by throwing a flurry of shots that led to his corner waving the towel to have the contest halted. The fight was officially stopped at the 2:36 mark of the first round by referee Mark Lyson.
It was a good victory for Sheerez, but he faced a 13-year veteran who looked like his punch resistance was completely gone. Williams didn’t look like he could take any punch tonight, and he would have had the same problem against virtually any of the top 15 middleweight and even 154-pounders.
If Sheerez doesn’t add more power to his game, he could be in trouble when he faces the killers in the 160-lb division. Those guys will take his power now, problem, and they’ll land on his easy-to-hit chin.
Is Sheeraz Ready for the Top?
There’s talk that Sheerez will face ‘Ammo’ Williams next in a step-up fight, which could wind up on the 5 vs. 5 card in Saudi Arabia. Williams is certainly beatable, but not by Sheerez.
Williams is someone that Sheerez must beat to get to a world title against Erislandy Lara, Jermall Charlo, or Janibek Alimkhanuly.
