Hamzah Sheeraz managed to cling onto a slim points victory, while Josh Kelly battled through a nasty nose cut to claim a unanimous decision on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua versus Kristian Prenga showdown in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. The London native, who previously captured his first world championship with a second‑round stoppage of Alem Begic to win the vacant WBO super‑middleweight title in Egypt, faced Germany's Simon Zachenhuber in a 12‑round bout that concluded amid a chorus of boos from the crowd.
The three judges' scorecards read 114‑114, 115‑113 and 116‑112, all in favour of Sheeraz. After the decision, Sheeraz celebrated in the ring alongside Jacob Bank.
"I am a champion in this division. I'm sure people are champing at the bit after my performance," Sheeraz declared, adding that he will be ringside on October 31 to watch Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez challenge Christian Mbilli for the WBC belt. "I got the win, that's all that matters. I could make a million excuses, but I’ll 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." Kelly, known by the nickname "Pretty Boy," endured a gruesome gash to his nose after an accidental head clash in the 11th round, leaving his face bloodied and bruised.
Despite the injury, he secured a unanimous decision over Irish challenger Caoimhin Agyarko, with the judges scoring the fight 115‑112, 115‑112 and 114‑113. "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 after the bout.
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.
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 unified 154‑pound champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis. Promoter Eddie Hearn, who manages both Kelly and Ennis, indicated that a clash 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: Fury secured a win that keeps him on track for a future bout with Anthony Joshua, and Joshua posted a heartfelt tribute to friends who lost their lives in a tragic crash. Fans can stay up‑to‑date by tuning into the weekly Toe2Toe podcast, which offers in‑depth analysis and interviews with the sport's biggest names. Boxing enthusiasts looking for more action can catch the upcoming Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event broadcast of Edgar Berlanga versus Steven Butler and Richardson Hitchins versus Ricardo Salas, scheduled for 10 p.m. on Sunday in New York.
For those who prefer streaming, NOW offers contract‑free access to live boxing and a wide range of other sports. Overall, the Saudi Arabian undercard delivered drama, resilience, and the promise of future high‑stakes matchups.
Sheeraz's narrow win underscores his ambition to climb the super‑middleweight ladder and eventually share a ring with the legendary Canelo Alvarez. Meanwhile, Kelly's determination, even with a bleeding nose, positions him as a contender eager to chase unification glory against Ennis. Both fighters have demonstrated the heart and skill that make boxing compelling, and fans can expect their careers to intersect with some of the sport's biggest events in the months ahead.