Hamzah Sheeraz’s world title challenge ended in disappointment but the Briton was fortunate to claim a draw against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in Saudi Arabia.
A cautious Sheeraz – who was on a 15-fight knockout streak – never really found his rhythm and seemed reluctant to let his hands go.
Adames produced the cleaner and more varied work, the volume of punches and fluidity. The Dominican, 30, retained his belt but can feel unlucky with a split-decision draw.
The three judges in Riyadh scored it 118-110 to Adames, 115-114 to Sheeraz and 114-114.
With swelling under his right eye and showing his hand to promoter Frank Warren, Sheeraz cut a frustrated and deflated figure at the final bell.
The 25-year-old was guilty of overthinking, being too hesitant and perhaps overawed by the occasion.
Sheeraz was fortunate to remain undefeated as his record extended to 21 wins and one draw.
He told Sky Sports afterwards: “I’m an overachiever. I’m very blessed but we’ll go back to the drawing board and fix those errors.
“No excuses, I’ve got a hand injury but that’s got nothing to do with the outcome of the fight.”
As challenger, Ilford’s Sheeraz made an understated ring walk first, keeping his eyes firmly on his rival as both boxers were introduced to the crowd.
Adames was in confident mood throughout fight week, describing the Briton as hype and questioning the quality of his previous opponents, while not affected by the jeers which greeted him.
The pair sized each other up in the opening rounds and the champion crouched down, bobbed and weaved his way around the ring, targeting 6ft 3in Sheeraz’s body.
“You’re going to become world champion tonight, baby,” trainer Ricky Funez told Sheeraz.
The Londoner – who trains out in Los Angeles – upped the tempo in the fourth as he doubled up his piston-like jab and followed it up with a body shot and a chopping right.
But Adames hunted Sheeraz down and landed clean shots to win the sixth and then made the challenger wince when he connected with a thunderous overhand right in the eighth.
Promoter Frank Warren seethed as he walked over to Sheeraz’s corner at the end of round nine and yelled at his fighter to throw the uppercut.
A thudding right – Sheeraz’s best shot of the fight – did not land until the 11th and his corner changed their tune before the final round. “You have to knock him out to win,” they told him.
It was Adames, though, who ended the fight on top and looked to have defended his title with an assured display.
Earlier this week, Sheeraz had talked up his dreams to become a three-weight world champion and welcomed a contest with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez next year.
Those ambitions, for now, seem a world away.
Light-heavyweight Callum Smith kept his hopes of becoming a two-time world champion alive by inflicting a first career defeat on Joshua Buatsi with a unanimous points decision win.
Both men enjoyed success in a high-level back-and-forth encounter – one which could have headlined a UK arena.
Liverpudlian Smith targeted Buatsi’s body early and hurt the Olympian with a hook in the sixth. But Buatsi came back strongly, using his jab well and landing power punches of his own as former super-middleweight world champion Smith, bloodied by a cut to his eye, tired.
The 34-year-old Smith was awarded the decision with scores of 115-113, 116-112 and a contentious 119-110 to become the WBO ‘interim’ champion. Londoner Buatsi, 31, was defeated his 20th pro fight.
“I was the underdog tonight and it got my back up a little bit that [people said] I’m finished,” said Smith.
“I feel like I’m good enough to be a two-weight world champion.”
Add Comment