Hamzah Sheeraz Dropped Berlanga Three Times in a Super
Hamzah Sheeraz stopped Edgar Berlanga seventeen seconds into the fifth round on July 12, 2025. The super middleweight contest at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, ended after three knockdowns across the fourth and fifth rounds.
Patience preceded the breakthrough
The opening rounds were measured, with Berlanga working his jab and Sheeraz looking for counter opportunities. Both connected during individual exchanges before the pace intensified.
In the fourth, Sheeraz began finding the cleaner and more damaging punches. A left hook sent Berlanga down near the ropes, forcing him to recover before the round was finished.
A second knockdown left little recovery time
Sheeraz attacked again after the count and dropped Berlanga with another combination. Berlanga beat the count and reached the bell, but remained under substantial pressure.
The interval did not change the direction of the fight. Sheeraz resumed with a right-left combination, and Berlanga used a glove to avoid falling fully to the canvas. Referee David Fields stepped in to end the contest.
The divisional move produced an immediate result
Sheeraz was making his super middleweight debut after a split draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in February. He had also begun working with trainer Andy Lee.
The victory improved him to 22–0–1 and won a WBC-recognized eliminator at 168 pounds. Berlanga suffered his second professional defeat after previously losing a decision to Canelo Alvarez, while Sheeraz introduced himself to the new division with an emphatic stoppage.
Sources
- The Ring: three knockdowns, 0:17 finish, Adames draw and trainer change
- WBC: super middleweight eliminator status and fifth-round finish
- Queensberry: July 12 Berlanga bout and venue
