Hamzah Sheeraz managed to cling onto a razor‑thin points victory on Saturday, while fellow British contender Josh Kelly fought through a gruesome nose cut to claim a unanimous decision on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua versus Kristian Prenga showdown in Saudi Arabia. The London‑born Sheeraz, who previously captured his first world championship by stopping Alem Begic in the second round to claim 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. When the judges' cards were finally revealed, the scores read 114‑114, 115‑113 and 116‑112, all in favour of Sheeraz. After the decision, he posed for photographs beside Jacob Bank inside the ring, smiling despite the mixed reaction from the audience.
"I am a champion in this division. I'm sure people are champing at the bit after my performance," Sheeraz declared in the post‑fight interview. He added that he will be sitting ringside on October 31 to watch Saul "Canelo" Alvarez challenge Christian Mbilli for the WBC belt, a fight he says he is eager to witness.
"I got the win, that's all that matters. I could make a million excuses, but I will be better in my 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 continued, signalling his desire for tougher opposition. Sheeraz's win, while technically a triumph, left many observers questioning the level of competition he faced.
Zachenhuber, a solid European contender, was unable to mount sustained pressure, allowing Sheeraz to dictate the pace for much of the night. Nonetheless, the narrow margins on the scorecards demonstrate that the fight was far from a walk‑over and that Sheeraz will need to sharpen his tactics if he hopes to compete with the sport's elite. In a separate bout, Josh Kelly endured a frightening gash to his nose after an accidental head clash in the 11th round but still secured a unanimous decision over Irish challenger Caoimhin Agyarko in an IBF light‑middleweight title contest. The fight, held in the same Saudi Arabian arena, saw Kelly, nicknamed "Pretty Boy," emerge victorious with judges' scores of 115‑112, 115‑112 and 114‑113.
The head clash left Kelly's face bloodied and his nose split, yet he remained composed enough to finish the fight strongly. "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, there.
Listen, it will come. I will be the first Black Irish world champion, there's no doubt about that." Looking ahead, Kelly expressed a clear ambition: he wants to test himself against unified 154‑pound champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who manages both Kelly and Ennis, confirmed 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." Both fighters used the night to reinforce their status as rising stars in the middleweight and light‑middleweight divisions, respectively. Sheeraz's narrow win highlights the fine margins at the top of the super‑middleweight class and underscores his need for a higher‑calibre opponent to prove his mettle. Meanwhile, Kelly's resilience in the face of a severe cut demonstrates the grit required to hold a world title and his eagerness to pursue unification bouts that could cement his legacy.
The event also featured other notable moments, including a tribute from Anthony Joshua to friends lost in a tragic crash, and the ongoing promotion of the Toe2Toe podcast, which offers weekly boxing analysis. Fans were reminded of the upcoming Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event broadcast of Edgar Berlanga versus Steven Butler and Richardson Hitchins versus Ricardo Salas, slated for 10 p.m. on Sunday, with the option to stream boxing and other sports contract‑free via NOW.
Overall, Saturday's action in Saudi Arabia delivered drama, blood, and a glimpse of future marquee matchups. Sheeraz's win, albeit narrow, keeps him in the conversation for a potential clash with Canelo, while Kelly's determination after a nasty cut positions him as a credible challenger for Jaron Ennis.
Both athletes have signaled that they are hungry for bigger stages, higher stakes, and the chance to solidify their places among boxing's elite.