Alem Begic, Hamzah Sheeraz to fight for WBO super-middleweight title

Field Level Media|published: Fri 3rd April, 17:03 2026

Oct 12, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Oleksandr Usyk (white trunks) after his win over Chazz Witherspoon (not pictured) box during a heavyweight boxing match at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-Imagn Images

Hamzah Sheeraz will get his chance at the WBO super middleweight title against Alem Begic on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

The matchup will be an undercard of the Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) vs. Rico Verhoeven (66-10, 21 KOs) WBC heavyweight title fight, the event's promoters, Ring Magazine, announced Friday.

Britain's Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) got to the world title fight by virtue of beating Edgar Berlanga last July with a Round 5 knockout. His previous attempt at the title ended in a draw with defending champion Carlos Adames in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February of 2025.

Germany's Begic will challenge for the title for the first time. The 39-year-old is unbeaten in 30 fights with one draw.

The undercard will also include the WBA "regular" welterweight title fight between Jack Catterall (32-2, 14 KOs) and Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 Kos), as well as a faceoff between Cuban heavyweight Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and American prospect Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0, 12 KOs), who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics.

--Field Level Media

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