Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has thrown fresh fuel on the super-middleweight bonfire, declaring that Hamzah Sheeraz’s ruthless stoppage of Edgar Berlanga in New York has earned the Brit-Pakistani star a crack at Canelo Álvarez in 2026.
Speaking on social media after Saturday’s Ring-promoted card at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Alalshikh hailed his Riyadh Season ambassador for silencing a partisan crowd. “What a performance from Hamzah Sheeraz in NY with thousands against him,” he wrote. “England and Pakistan should be proud… Hamzah now deserves Canelo in 2026.”
Sheeraz needed just four rounds to drop Berlanga twice before finishing the job 17 seconds into the fifth, instantly resetting his momentum after February’s disputed draw with Carlos Adames. The 26-year-old, now guided by former world champion Andy Lee, also becomes WBC mandatory challenger - an official path that dovetails neatly with Alalshikh’s influence over high-profile Saudi events.
For Álvarez, any Sheeraz meeting must wait. The undisputed 168-lb king defends against Terence Crawford in September and could chase further mega-fights before 2026. Still, Alalshikh’s endorsement suggests Riyadh is already eyeing a blockbuster Canelo-Sheeraz showcase as part of next year’s season.
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