After dropping Berlanga twice late in the fourth. Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) wasted no time pressing the action in round five. A sharp right left combination rocked Berlanga early, forcing him to reach for balance and touch the canvas with his glove an automatic knockdown by boxing rules. Referee David Fields immediately stepped in, recognizing that Berlanga was badly hurt and in no shape to continue, officially stopping their “Ring III” pay-per-view main event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.
Not seizing the moment
All week long, Berlanga talked about how pivotal this moment was for his career. Particularly a clash with Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed face of boxing at 168 pounds. Without a doubt Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) carried the pressure of fighting at home, in front of a loud New York crowd, with expectations of delivering a star making performance.
“I’m not taking you lightly. I know you’re coming because Turki got a plan for you. He told you, ‘You beat Berlanga, I’m giving you Canelo.’ You’re going straight to Canelo after this. I’m your Canelo right now.”
But what was supposed to be a launchpad turned into a brutal reality check. Instead of seizing the spotlight, Berlanga was overwhelmed, outclassed, and ultimately stopped by a composed and clinical Sheeraz. The British contender took Berlanga’s moment and made it his own flipping the narrative and positioning himself for a potential future showdown with Canelo. The possible title shot will be going to Sheeraz now. Turki Alalshikh will do everything in his power to make that fight happen if Canelo defeats Terence Crawford.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
