Hamzah Sheeraz Vacates WBO Super Middleweight Title After Two Days

Hamzah Sheeraz has walked away from his WBO super middleweight title almost as quickly as he claimed it, vacating the belt just two days after Queensberry Promotions won a purse bid for a mandatory defence against Janibek Alimkhanuly.

The WBO confirmed the decision in a statement, revealing that Sheeraz and his team had formally notified the organisation that he would not proceed with the fight.

A Brief, Vanishing Reign

Sheeraz (24-0-1, 19 KO) picked up the vacant strap on May 23, beating Alem Begic, then turned around and defended it on July 25 against Simon Zachenhuber. Two fights, two wins, a world title captured and retained. On paper, it looks tidy.

In reality, it will be remembered as a flicker rather than a fire. The belt changed his status, not the sport’s landscape. His reign lived mostly as an undercard attraction on big Queensberry shows, not as the centrepiece of a division.

Yet this is modern boxing. The calendar, the money, the risk—those are the real scorecards.

The Numbers Behind the Decision

Queensberry’s winning purse bid came in at just over $1 million for the Alimkhanuly defence. As champion, Sheeraz stood to make in the region of $750,000.

Decent money. But not life-changing in an era where a young, unbeaten British headliner can chase bigger paydays in more favourable matchups.

Janibek is a serious assignment. On paper, he’s the toughest opponent Sheeraz would have faced, perhaps alongside Carlos Adames, with whom Sheeraz boxed to a disputed draw. Stylistically and physically, Alimkhanuly is a risk that doesn’t quite match the reward. If Sheeraz and his team believe they can earn seven figures elsewhere against a less dangerous opponent, the logic is ruthless but clear.

The Janibek Question

There is also the matter of Janibek’s recent history.

Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KO) has not fought since April 2025. His name, though, has stayed in circulation for other reasons. A failed drug test last year cost him the IBF middleweight title, which the IBF duly stripped. The WBO, by contrast, chose not to remove their recognition.

Despite that, Janibek has been installed as the WBO’s mandatory challenger at super middleweight. For many inside the sport, that appointment jars. A fighter coming off a drug violation, inactive for over a year, now positioned as the man a young champion must face or forfeit his belt.

Sheeraz chose forfeiture.

A New Vacancy, Familiar Politics

With the title now vacant, Alimkhanuly is expected to fight for the belt he was supposed to challenge Sheeraz for. He currently occupies the WBO’s No. 1 contender spot at 168 lbs, with a queue forming behind him.

• Diego Pacheco sits at No. 2,
• followed by Jacob Bank,
• Kevin Sadjo,
• Armando Resendiz,
• Bektemir Melikuziev,
• Edgar Berlanga,
• Milorad Zizic,
• Hebert Sousa,
• and Bernardin Jakaj rounding out the top 10.

From that list will come the next “world champion” at super middleweight. The title will move on, the sanctioning body will reset its posters, and the division will sell a new narrative.

Sheeraz, meanwhile, leaves with his ‘0’ intact, his market value arguably protected, and his options open. In a sport that constantly asks fighters to gamble, he has just made a very clear calculation.

The belt stays. The unbeaten contender walks away.