Sheeraz Stops Berlanga, Stevenson Defends Lightweight Title in New York

Hamzah Sheeraz made a successful super middleweight debut with a dominant fifth-round technical knockout victory over Edgar Berlanga at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the home of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Sheeraz, who moved up in weight after a draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames, knocked Berlanga down twice in the fourth round and again early in the fifth before the referee stopped the fight, improving his record to 22-0-1 with 18 knockouts. Berlanga, who had previously lost to Canelo Alvarez and was seeking to re-enter title contention, suffered his second defeat in three fights. In the co-main event, Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight title with a commanding unanimous decision over William Zepeda, extending his undefeated record to 24-0. Stevenson's victory was decisive with judges scoring the bout 119-109 and 118-110. The event marked the first boxing card held at the U.S. Open venue, showcasing Sheeraz's potential as a future challenger to Canelo Alvarez and Stevenson's continued dominance in the lightweight division.