Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz predictions, odds, picks: Can Sheeraz punch his ticket to face Canelo?
It's a monster fight week in New York City. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano go head-to-head for the third time in their Netflix-streamed blockbuster undisputed title clash at Madison Square Garden on Friday, and then on Saturday, the Turki Alalshikh-backed Ring Magazine provides an intriguing four-fight card at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.
Saturday's main event is a true 50-50 clash as former WBC middleweight title challenger Hamzah Sheeraz battles recent Saul "Canelo" Alvarez opponent, Edgar Berlanga. Below that bout are two excellent world title fights and a light heavyweight contenders clash that promises to deliver fireworks.
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It's a well-rounded card that should have a little bit of everything. So without further ado, let's get into the nitty-gritty and break it all down.
Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM.
Super middleweight: Edgar Berlanga (-105) vs. Hamzah Sheeraz (-118)
A win for Hamzah Sheeraz could land him a shot at boxing's biggest star, "Canelo" Alvarez.
Sheeraz was named by boxing financier Alalshikh as one of two potential opponents, alongside Chris Eubank Jr., for Alvarez after the Mexican star's Sept. 13 mega-fight with Terence Crawford.
It's a tremendous turnaround for Sheeraz, who was fortunate not to be handed his first career defeat when he unsuccessfully challenged Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title this past February.
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Edgar Berlanga dropped a wide decision to Alvarez for the unified super middleweight title in 2024 and now hopes a victory over Sheeraz could secure him a rematch — although that is highly unlikely.
For Sheeraz, it is his first fight at super middleweight and first fight with new trainer Andy Lee. Sheeraz had a very impressive 2024 campaign, recording early knockouts over Liam Williams and Tyler Denny and overcoming Austin "Ammo" Williams in a title eliminator.
Against Adames, however, Sheeraz performed disappointingly. The Brit broke his hand early in the fight, and as the action went on, he struggled to get off his offense and gave up all of the second half of the contest.
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Prior to losing to Alvarez, Berlanga stopped Ireland's Padraig McCrory in February 2024. It was Berlanga's first inside-the-distance win since his 16-fight first-round knockout streak ended in April 2021. As soon as Berlanga stepped up the levels, his flaws became visible, and he's had multiple close contests since as a result.
An intriguing element in this fight is Lee's role. Lee is on a roll (see what I did there) himself as a trainer. The Irishman has been responsible for rejuvenating Joseph Parker's career at the top level of the heavyweight division, he helped Ben Whittaker secure an early stoppage over Liam Cameron in their rematch and he's led Paddy Donovan to a world title shot against Lewis Crocker.
More importantly, however, Lee was the trainer for Jason Quigley, who fell short to Berlanga in June 2023. Quigley ultimately couldn't handle the power of Berlanga, but he had his fair share of success during the bout. The Irish middleweight boxed on the back foot behind his sharp left hand and effectively countered Berlanga when the New Yorker attempted to close the gap.
For the taller and longer boxer Sheeraz, the game plan to beat Berlanga is there. And Sheeraz has, in some ways, the ideal man in his corner to help him execute it. I think Sheeraz will do enough to outbox Berlanga over the distance.
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Pick: Sheeraz.
Shakur Stevenson (left) and William Zepeda have traded barbs all fight week.
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
WBC lightweight title: Shakur Stevenson (-900) vs. William Zepeda (+650)
It's expected to be the toughest test of Shakur Stevenson's dazzling career when he defends his WBC lightweight title against his mandatory challenger, William Zepeda, on Saturday.
The unbeaten Mexican Zepeda is coming off back-to-back wars with the former super featherweight champ, Tevin Farmer — wins that have aged like milk following Floyd Schofield's opening-round destruction of Farmer this past month.
Stevenson, a three-division champion, has lacked the elite opposition that his star-studded achievements warrant. But on Saturday, he'll finally get a chance to make his case as the No. 1 lightweight in the world — an argument that's become easier to make following Gervonta Davis' controversial fight with Lamont Roach.
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The 28-year-old from New Jersey, now based in Texas, is a tremendous pure boxer. His style has been subject to criticism due to a lack of entertainment, but Stevenson is a very hard man to beat because of it.
Matchmaking-wise, Stevenson and Zepeda are a perfect combo. Zepeda's high-intensity, high-volume approach could pose a challenge for Stevenson if he allows Zepeda to close the gap with regularity. Although Zepeda isn't as fleet-footed as Stevenson, his pressure is non-stop, and at some point Stevenson may be forced to hold his ground in the fight, which could create some exciting moments.
Farmer isn't a heavy hitter, but he dropped Zepeda in their first fight and had him stunned in the rematch. Stevenson isn't a big puncher either, though he hits as hard as Farmer and could rock Zepeda at times if he punches with spite.
Stevenson should be able to capitalize on the style matchup and outbox Zepeda for a comfortable unanimous decision. Zepeda needs to start fast and stop Stevenson from getting into a rhythm if he wants to have any chance of winning, but Stevenson's sharp hands, timing, and fast feet should be a nightmare for him.
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Pick: Stevenson.
Alberto Puello (left) and Subriel Matias fight for the WBC super lightweight title.
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
WBC super lightweight title: Alberto Puello (+100) vs. Subriel Matias (-118)
Alberto Puello puts his WBC super lightweight crown on the line against the former IBF champion Subriel Matias.
Puello defeated Gary Antuanne Russell by split decision in June 2024 to capture the interim belt and was upgraded to full champion soon after. He's made one successful defense of his title, a contentious split-decision triumph over the smart Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin this past March.
Matias lost his IBF title to Liam Paro in a huge upset on the same day that Puello defeated Russell. He's since rebounded with two victories and now looks to become a two-time champion in Queens.
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Matias has a perfect knockout-to-win ratio with 22 finishes in his 22 victories. The Puerto Rican is a relentless, offensively-oriented pressure fighter. Paro defeated Matias with movement, effective counter-punching and clinches. Puello did something similar when he tamed Russell — who fought like Matias and had a 100% knockout-to-win ratio as well.
Puello showed a terrific chin against Russell and deterred him from letting his hands go with sharp, powerful counter-punching, both of which will serve him well against Matias. Matias is flat-footed and has questionable defense, which, for me, makes him a good style matchup for Puello.
Pick: Puello.
David Morrell (left) and Imam Khataev collide in Saturday's main-card opener.
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
Light heavyweight: David Morrell (-650) vs. Imam Khataev (+480)
David Morrell and Imam Khataev have taken part in light heavyweight slugfests already in 2025, so there's no reason to think we won't get another one on Saturday.
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Morrell floored WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez Jr. but ultimately fell short in their 12-round battle in February. It was Morrell's first career blemish after a successful 11-fight run that saw him pick up WBA (Regular) titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Khataev made a significant leap in competition when he took out Ricards Bolotniks in May 2024. He followed that up with an unimpressive performance against Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna this past September. Last time out, Khataev won a wide decision over Durval Elias Palacio. Although he took the majority of the rounds, every one of them was competitive, with Palacio having his fair share of success.
The fight against Morrell has likely come too early for Khataev. He's never faced a fighter of Morrell's caliber and has consistently shown significant flaws in his game, including his poor defense and questionable engine. Although a brute force savant, Khataev still has holes that I expect Morrell to expose.
Pick: Morrell.
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