One fight after a disappointing performance in a middleweight title shot against Carlos Adames that ended via a heavily disputed draw, Hamzah Sheeraz made a spectacular statement in his 168-pound debut on Saturday.

Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh previously named Sheeraz — an ambassador for Alalshikh's Riyadh Season efforts — alongside Chris Eubank Jr. as the front-runners to face Alvarez in 2026 after Alvarez's blockbuster Sept. 13 undisputed title fight with fellow pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford.

After dropping Berlanga twice late in the fourth. Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) wasted no time pressing the action in round five. A sharp right left combination rocked Berlanga early, forcing him to reach for balance and touch the canvas with his glove an automatic knockdown by boxing rules.