Hamzah Sheeraz Blasts WBO's Mandatory Order as 'Corruption'

Hamzah Sheeraz isn't taking the WBO's latest ruling quietly. After the sanctioning body named Janibek Alimkhanuly its mandatory challenger at 168lbs, the unbeaten Ilford man — 23-0-1 with 19 knockouts — accused the organisation of "corruption" and hinted at "ulterior motives" behind the decision. His problem isn't the opponent's talent. It's the paperwork.

Alimkhanuly tested positive for meldonium, a banned substance, last November — a failure that eventually saw the IBF strip him of his unified middleweight titles. He was handed a year-long suspension. The WBO then terminated that ban early, and now it's ordering Sheeraz to defend against him. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Sheeraz called the move disgraceful and said the WBO is effectively rewarding a fighter who got popped.

The Fight Sheeraz Actually Wanted

Before this order landed, Sheeraz was lining up a defense against unbeaten prospect Jacob Bank — the WBO's next highest-ranked 168lb contender behind Canelo Alvarez, who at 63-2-2 (39 KO) sits at the top of the pile after his unanimous-decision loss to Terence Crawford. Sheeraz has never ducked a challenge, and Bank represented exactly the kind of live, undefeated test a young champion should want.

Instead he gets a mandatory that he views as tainted from the start. Sheeraz suggested the whole thing comes down to personal relationships rather than merit, and it's hard to blame him for asking questions when a full year's suspension quietly evaporates before it's served.

A CV Still Under Construction

The frustration matters because Sheeraz is still building his case as a genuine world-class operator. He claimed the vacant WBO strap in May with a second-round stoppage of the overmatched Alem Begic, and before that he flattened Edgar Berlanga inside five. But there's baggage too: a highly contentious draw with WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames at 160, and a flat majority-decision win over Simon Zachenhuber in July that didn't exactly announce him as a division-ruler.

So the timing stings. Sheeraz wants signature wins, and a defense against a fighter fresh off a doping positive muddies whatever result he produces. Whether he fights the order, appeals it, or steps in the ring and lets his hands settle it, the champion has made his stance loud and clear — he thinks the sport, and his belt, deserve better.