WBO super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz will be permitted a voluntary defense of his title, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has confirmed to BoxingScene.
Sheeraz, 23-0-1 (19 KOs), claimed the vacant WBO strap with a third-round stoppage against the overmatched Alem Begic in May on the Egypt bill topped by Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight bout with Rico Verhoeven. Sheeraz made light work of Begic, hardly getting out of first gear in the win, and due to that a quick turnaround was on the cards. BoxingScene reported earlier this month that Sheeraz was in play to feature on the undercard of Anthony Joshua-Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.