Sheeraz KOs Berlanga at U.S. Open Stadium

Hamzah Sheeraz knocked out Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round of their WBC super middleweight title eliminator at Louis Armstrong Stadium, marking Berlanga’s first career stoppage loss and bringing his record to 23-2. Sheeraz dropped Berlanga twice in the fourth round and again 17 seconds into the fifth before referee David Fields ended the fight, impressing spectators including Claressa Shields and Ryan Garcia. The victory boosts Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) into contention for a title shot against champion Canelo Alvarez. The event was the first boxing card held at the U.S. Open tennis tournament grounds in New York and faced some pay-per-view criticism. On the undercard, Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight title by dominating William Zepeda with superior speed and skill. Berlanga has now lost two of his last three fights, prompting questions about his future.