Frank Warren Blasts Hamzah Sheeraz for Vacating WBO Title

Hamzah Sheeraz has vacated the WBO super-middleweight title just four months after winning it, and Frank Warren is furious. The Queensberry boss told IFL TV he sees no logic in the 27-year-old giving up a belt he claimed with a second-round stoppage of Alem Begic in May — a result that pushed his record to 23-0-1 with 19 KOs.

The decision costs Sheeraz more than a title. Queensberry had already won the purse bid to stage his mandatory defence, bidding just over $1 million, and as champion Sheeraz was entitled to 75 percent of a 75/25 split. He's walking away from the lion's share of seven figures.

How We Got Here

The mandatory in question is Janibek Alimkhanuly, and his route to this position hasn't been clean. The unbeaten 33-year-old Kazakh tested positive for meldonium in November. The IBF stripped him of his middleweight belt over it, while the WBO handed down a year-long suspension — then scrapped that suspension in July and let him keep his title. Alimkhanuly then vacated and moved up to 168lbs, and the WBO ordered Sheeraz to defend against him.

Warren didn't mince words. He said he was very disappointed and questioned what possible rationale there could be for walking away, arguing that a champion should defend. He pointed out that Sheeraz won the belt against arguably the easiest available opponent in the top 50, after Queensberry worked hard to manoeuvre him into position. He also took a swipe at whoever's advising Sheeraz, suggesting their boxing knowledge would fit on a pinhead.

There's a contractual wrinkle too. Sheeraz is believed to have at least one fight remaining on his current promotional deal with Queensberry, which makes the public falling-out more awkward than a simple career disagreement.

With the belt now vacant, the WBO has ordered Alimkhanuly to face fellow unbeaten contender Jacob Bank instead. Bank, ranked #8 at 168lbs, carries a 19-0 record with 11 KOs and is coming off a fifth-round stoppage of Paulinus Ndjolonimu. It's a step up for him and a title shot he didn't have to fight Sheeraz to get.