Hamzah Sheeraz vacates WBO super-middleweight title

WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has announced that Hamzah Sheeraz has relinquished his super-middleweight title after choosing not to face mandatory challenger Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.

Hamzah Sheeraz has vacated his WBO super-middleweight title rather than face mandatory challenger Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced, as reported by BoxingScene.

The WBO will decide on Monday how to fill the vacant title. Olivieri said the organisation respected Sheeraz’s decision and would keep its doors open to him.

Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, which promotes Sheeraz, had won Wednesday’s purse bid to stage the contest with an offer of $1,001,809. That beat the $820,000 submitted by Alimkhanuly’s promoter, Top Rank. Sheeraz’s share as champion would have been 75 per cent, or $751,356.75.

Before the bidding, Sheeraz had questioned Alimkhanuly’s claim to mandatory status and raised concerns about the potential purse. Speaking to The Ring, he said he feared the money would be too low for what he considered the biggest fight of his career, while indicating that a good offer would allow the bout to proceed.