Hamzah Sheeraz managed to cling onto a slim points victory on Saturday, while fellow British fighter Josh Kelly battled through a frightening cut on his nose to claim a unanimous decision on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua versus Kristian Prenga showdown in Saudi Arabia. The London native, who previously captured his inaugural world title with a second‑round stoppage of Alem Begic to claim the vacant WBO super‑middleweight championship in Egypt, faced Germany's Simon Zachenhuber in a 12‑round contest.
The bout concluded amid a chorus of boos from the audience, and the judges' scorecards read 114‑114, 115‑113 and 116‑112 in favour of Sheeraz. After the decision, Sheeraz posed for photographs with Jacob Bank inside the ring, a moment that highlighted his triumph despite the mixed reaction. "I am a champion in this division. I'm sure people are champing at the bit after my performance," Sheeraz declared, his confidence evident.
He added that he will be seated ringside on October 31 to watch Saul "Canelo" Alvarez challenge Christian Mbilli for the WBC belt, a fight he says he is eagerly anticipating. "I got the win, that's all that matters.
I could make a million excuses, but I will be better in the next fight. I need a step‑up now, someone who will mentally present a challenge.
I was switching off at times, I was too comfortable when I didn't have a threat in front of me," he explained, acknowledging the need for tougher opposition to sharpen his skills. In the same event, Josh Kelly overcame a harrowing gash to his nose and still secured a unanimous points victory over Irish contender Caoimhin Agyarko in an IBF Light‑Middleweight title bout. The fight, held in Saudi Arabia, saw Kelly endure a brutal clash of heads in the eleventh round that left his face bloodied and his nose badly cut.
Despite the physical damage, Kelly's performance earned him scorecards of 115‑112, 115‑112 and 114‑113, confirming his dominance. "I told Caoimhin, don't take it as a loss, take it as a learning experience. If he wants it bad enough, he will bounce back," Kelly said in the post‑fight interview.
Agyarko, visibly disappointed, responded, "I thought I won it, but if it's not good enough for the judges, I accept that. I'm heartbroken, I wanted to make history. Josh Kelly is a class act, but I think he underestimated me a bit, there.
Listen, it will come. I will be the first Black Irish world champion, there's no doubt about that." Following his victory, Kelly expressed a desire to test himself against the unified 154‑pound champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who manages both Kelly and Ennis, indicated that a showdown between the two in the United States is now a realistic possibility. "He's had a defence of the title and before that mandatory comes again, really you want to be looking at those big‑money fights and trying to roll the dice," Hearn explained.
"I think that comes with 'Boots' Ennis. If I'm Josh Kelly I'm looking at the big payday out in America against 'Boots' Ennis.
It's a three‑belt unification fight. [WBC champion] Sebastian Fundora, all those guys." The night also featured other notable moments, such as Fury's continued success keeping his path to a future bout with Anthony Joshua on track, and a heartfelt tribute from Joshua to friends who were lost in a tragic crash.
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Overall, the event in Saudi Arabia highlighted the resilience and ambition of both Sheeraz and Kelly. Sheeraz's narrow win underscores the fine margins at the elite level and fuels his hunger for a higher‑profile clash, perhaps against the legendary Canelo Alvarez later this year. Meanwhile, Kelly's ability to persevere through a severe facial injury and still secure a decision victory demonstrates his toughness and determination to climb the rankings, with a potential showdown against Jaron Ennis promising to be a marquee bout for the light‑middleweight division. Both fighters have signaled their intent to pursue bigger challenges and larger paydays, setting the stage for exciting match‑ups in the months ahead.