Hamzah Sheeraz weighs WBO future after hand surgery and Janibek Alimkhanuly order

Hamzah Sheeraz says he is recovering from hand surgery suffered during his July win over Simon Zachenhuber, while also considering whether to vacate the WBO super-middleweight title rather than defend it against mandatory challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly.

Sheeraz, who won the vacant WBO belt by stopping Alem Begic in May and made his first defence with a majority decision over Zachenhuber on July 25 in Saudi Arabia, told Ariel Helwani that the injury occurred early in the fight. Accounts have differed on which hand was affected, but Sheeraz said the problem came after he landed on the top of Zachenhuber’s head.

“I had picked up a little injury during the fight,” Sheeraz told Helwani. “I didn’t make it a thing after because I didn’t want to. Just getting on with it, now we’re recovering. I think it was in the second or third round.

“I hit him in a funny place, right at the top of his head, and felt it straight away. But from the positives, I got through 12 rounds with a little injury, back onto bigger and better things hopefully. We’re on the road to recovery as we speak now. I think I’ll be active end of November, early December.”

The timing of his recovery overlaps with a more immediate sanctioning issue. The WBO has ordered Sheeraz to defend against Alimkhanuly, the former unified middleweight champion who has moved up to super-middleweight, after rejecting a petition from Jacob Bank to be installed as mandatory challenger. The sides have until September 3 to reach an agreement, with a purse bid expected if no deal is made.

Alimkhanuly’s position has drawn criticism because of his anti-doping history. A planned middleweight unification with Erislandy Lara collapsed after meldonium was found in samples submitted to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The IBF stripped Alimkhanuly, while the WBO allowed him to remain champion during disciplinary proceedings and later said his suspension had been terminated effective July 10 after he complied with specific conditions.

In its ruling on the mandatory position, the WBO treated Alimkhanuly as eligible following reinstatement and gave weight to his record as a WBO middleweight champion. Sheeraz has taken a different view, arguing that the decision effectively rewards a fighter who failed a drug test.

“I think it’s a joke,” Sheeraz said. “I think what the WBO have done here is disgraceful to the sport of boxing. What they’re essentially doing is rewarding someone who has [tested positive], so to me, it doesn’t make sense.

“On top of all of that, not just rewarding him for being popped, but [doing so] while he’s banned, while he’s still serving a ban. It does not make sense. … I just think it’s bad for the sport of boxing, giving these guys the platforms and almost saying, ‘Yeah, don’t worry, it’s OK. We’ll just crack on as normal and act like nothing’s happened.’”

Sheeraz also said he had been unable to get clarity from the sanctioning body since winning the title. “Ever since I won the title, we have tried to sit down with them and my team has reached out, but we have got nothing back,” he said.

Asked about vacating, Sheeraz did not rule it out. “That [vacating the title] is something that I will have to discuss with my team. What they have done, it pushes you into that corner of me eventually thinking like that and, if I was to do that, it would be totally justifiable. 

“I keep banging on about morals and that is what it is down to. It is down to being a clean athlete, being someone who stands for clean athletes and one who is true to that and represents that.”

A unification fight could be another route if the WBO allowed an exception, though Sheeraz acknowledged he was not certain of the rules. “I think that [a unification fight] overrides it but I could be wrong, but that is another option,” he said.

Sheeraz’s promotional position is also approaching a decision point. He said he has one fight remaining with Queensberry, the promoter he has worked with throughout his professional career, and intends to consider the market when that commitment is complete. “I’ve got one fight left with [Queensberry],” he said. “We’ve had a great relationship, and we’ll see what happens. We’ll see what the options are.”

He said Zuffa Boxing would be among the possibilities he would look at if he becomes a free agent, while stressing that he remains under contract. “[Zuffa Boxing is] definitely an avenue I’ll explore,” Sheeraz said. “I can’t say that I’ll 100% go with them because, like I said, I’m still in contract with Queensberry and I could still end up being with them. If and when I am [a free agent], [Zuffa is] definitely an option I’ll explore.”

For now, the WBO deadline is the next concrete step. Unless Sheeraz reaches terms with Alimkhanuly, secures an exception, or vacates the title, the sanctioning body is positioned to move the fight towards a purse bid after September 3.