Eddie Hearn Says Hamzah Sheeraz Could Return On Anthony Joshua Undercard July 25

Eddie Hearn says the WBO champion could appear in a world-title fight on Anthony Joshua’s Saudi Arabia undercard

WBO super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz could make the first defense of his title on July 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Promoter Eddie Hearn says the unbeaten British champion is among the fighters being considered for a world-title bout on Anthony Joshua’s return card.

The event is expected to be headlined by Anthony Joshua’s return against Kristian Prenga and will be backed by Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh. Hearn indicated that two world championship bouts could be added to the undercard, with Sheeraz among the fighters under consideration.

“I think there could be two world championship fights on the undercard,” said Hearn to BoxingScene. “Hamzah Sheeraz may be one of those as well. Obviously, we’ll talk to Frank Warren and Spencer Brown and everybody, and Josh Kelly could feature on there as well. That’ll be announced this coming week.”

This would mark the first title defense for the 27-year-old Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KOs), who captured the vacant WBO super middleweight title on May 23 when he stopped Germany’s Alem Begic in the second round at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Sheeraz has also been linked to several potential future fights, including a showdown with Canelo Alvarez. The British champion recently addressed Alvarez’s suggestion that he should first face IBF champion Osleys Iglesias before pursuing a fight with the Mexican star.

“I respect him, but I don’t respect him to a point where he tells me who to fight before I can fight him,” said Sheeraz to talkSPORT Boxing.

“And it’s not that was the case when he fought Munguia. That wasn’t the case when he fought Berlanga. So, for him to kind of say that to me is just I kind of have to just ignore that and just concentrate on my own thing.

“If the fight doesn’t happen, I won’t be bothered to be fair. I won’t be bothered at all. But if it does happen, it’s a bonus for me.”

An official announcement regarding the July 25 card is expected in the coming days.