The new WBO super middleweight champion says he wants unification fights, but fans questioned why Christian Mbilli and Osleys Iglesias were not the names driving the conversation
Hamzah Sheeraz says he wants to unify the super middleweight division after capturing the WBO title in Egypt, but many fans came away believing his real target is Canelo Alvarez. The unbeaten British fighter repeatedly mentioned Canelo after stopping Alem Begic in two rounds, even though younger champions like Christian Mbilli and Osleys Iglesias now hold the belts at 168 pounds.
“I done what I had to do tonight. I’m happy, world champion, but yeah, I want to unify now,” said Sheeraz to Ring Magazine after the fight.
“Any of the champions, they’re great champions in the division, man. It’s a serious division. I’d love, well, I am going to be part of them fights now because I’m a world champion. So yeah, man, let’s unify.
“And Canelo too, I’m sure he must feel.”
The reaction online centered on the contrast between what Sheeraz said and the names he chose to mention. If his priority was proving he is the best fighter at 168, fans expected him to target champions like Christian Mbilli or Osleys Iglesias. Instead, the discussion quickly moved toward Canelo, who still represents the biggest payday in the division despite turning 35 and showing visible decline in recent fights.
Canelo appeared to fade badly in the second half of his loss to Crawford last year. Even though Crawford, 38, fought cautiously for long stretches and applied very little sustained pressure, Canelo’s output dropped sharply after the midpoint. He looked slower, easier to hit, and struggled to maintain the pace.
That performance is one reason some fans believe Mbilli could be a major problem for Canelo on September 12. Unlike Crawford, Mbilli fights aggressively, throws in volume, and forces opponents to work continuously at close range.
For critics, that is what made Sheeraz’s comments stand out. Mentioning Canelo, regardless of whether he beats Mbilli or loses to him, created the impression that the WBO title may be a pathway toward a major payday rather than the beginning of a campaign to clean out the division.
Sheeraz insisted before the fight that he wanted a “demolition job” against Begic and believes he delivered exactly that.
“I said from the start demolition job and I believe that’s what I done tonight. Head-body attacks,” said Sheeraz. “I know you had a body-shot knockout for quite some time so it was nice to get that.”
The 26-year-old also admitted he felt ring rust after inactivity and the unusual atmosphere of fighting outdoors in Egypt.
“I kind of felt it. I don’t know whether it was because of the new atmosphere here, literally in the middle of the desert, or what it was, but I felt glad to just be back in there again, man,” said Sheeraz.
Sheeraz leaves Egypt with a world title and a higher profile, but the reaction afterward suggests fans still want to see him against dangerous championship-level opposition before fully accepting him as a major force in the super middleweight division.
