British boxer Hamzah Sheeraz has withdrawn from his mandatory title defence against Kazakhstan’s Janibek Alimkhanuly and voluntarily relinquished his WBO super-middleweight world title, marking a significant development in the sport’s heavyweight division.
The decision came following a purse-bid won by Queensberry Promotions, which would have governed the financial terms of the scheduled bout. Rather than accept the arrangement, Sheeraz opted to step away from the fight entirely, leading the WBO to confirm his vacating of the championship belt.
Champion’s Strong Criticism
Sheeraz did not mince words regarding the situation, expressing frustration with the sanctioning body’s handling of the matter. “I think it’s a joke. I think what the WBO has done here is disgraceful to the sport of boxing as well,” the British champion stated, highlighting his dissatisfaction with the processes surrounding the mandatory defence.
WBO Confirms Title Vacancy
WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed that Sheeraz had formally relinquished the title following his withdrawal from the defence. The decision leaves the WBO super-middleweight title vacant and opens the path for other contenders within the division to pursue the championship.
The fight between Sheeraz and Alimkhanuly, managed respectively by Spencer Brown and Egis Klimas, will not take place as previously scheduled. The clash would have pitted the British titleholder against the Kazakhstani challenger in what was set to be a significant test of Sheeraz’s reign at super-middleweight.