The 25-year-old Slough, Berkshire native Hamzah Sheeraz made a statement in September with a dominant two-round stoppage of Tyler Denny, solidifying his reputation as Britain’s rising star in the middleweight division. However, trouble seems to have followed the WBO and WBC No. 1 contender. On October 24th, Boxing Scene reported that unified middleweight title holders Janibek Alimkhanuly and Hamzah Sheeraz were assigned a deadline to reach a fight agreement by 30th October, which would have followed a purse bid. However, that failed to happen, as the World Boxing Organization took to social media. 

On 31st October, they revealed on X that Alimkhanuly’s promoter Top Rank, and Sheeraz’s promoter Queensberry “jointly petitioned an extension of the negotiation period,” which the WBO claimed they had granted them. The new deadline given to both parties was November 4th at 3 p.m. ET to negotiate a deal. 

However, boxing insider Rick Glaser has reported that Sheeraz has declined to participate in the fight, which has reportedly led to significant consequences for the rising middleweight star. “New WBO President #GustavoOlivieri @OlivieriLaw has implemented some new rules,” Glaser began. At the end of October, 40-year-old Gustavo Olivieri, a prominent Puerto Rican attorney and lead counsel for the WBO, took over as president of the Puerto Rico-based organization, succeeding Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel after his 28-year tenure.

Regardless, Glaser explained that Gustavo Olivieri, the new president of the WBO, has implemented stricter rules targeting fighters who decline title opportunities. Under these regulations, any boxer who refuses a title shot is removed entirely from the organization’s rankings—a policy that could have major repercussions for Sheeraz’s career.

“#HamzahSheeraz, he was the first, turning down a Janibek title shot. Rightfully, Sheeraz totally dropped from the ratings. Great rule, & that rule is for everyone,” Glaser added.

It’s worth mentioning that since Sheeraz was booted from the rankings, 20-3-1 Denzel Bentley has now been promoted to the No.1 contender spot by the WBC. With the WBO and its champion Janibek Alimkhanuly out of the picture, this expert is speculating about a different bout for Sheeraz.

Chris Algieri on the potential Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Carlos Adames

Some speculation suggests that Sheeraz, who is also WBC’s No. 1 contender, could square off against the WBC middleweight champion, Carlos Adames, for a title shot. The bout is reportedly being eyed for a February 22 bill in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, former boxer and now an analyst for ProBox TV, Chris Algieri, has called the potential middleweight clash an “excellent fight” and a “potential banger.”

“This is actually the fight that I want more than any other in that division,” claimed Algieri. Later he praised Adames, stating, “I really like the way Carlos Adames has looked since moving up in weight… He is a beast, he brings it, he is a ton of fun to watch.” Turning to Sheeraz, Algieri had more praise in store for the 25-year-old. Claiming he is “just about a can’t miss” prospect, Algieri stated, “He’s got it all, he’s got the size, the power, the mentality. He’s obviously going for the toughest fights possible.”

That said, Hamzah Sheeraz seems to have fallen victim to the visions and ambitions of the new leadership at the World Boxing Organization. However, with Sheeraz’s growing popularity, it would be interesting to see how long WBO sticks to its new rules. What did you think about the decision from WBO?