Hamzah Sheeraz escaped with a narrow points win, while Josh Kelly overcame a horror gash to his nose on the Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga undercard in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Londoner Sheeraz, who sealed his first world title with a second-round stoppage win against Alem Begic to claim the vacant WBO super-middleweight crown in Egypt, defeated Germany’s Simon Zachenhuber.
After a 12-round fight that ended with boos around the arena the judges returned scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112, in favour of Sheeraz, who posed with Jacob Bank in the ring following his win.
“I am a champion in the division. I’m sure people are champing at the bit after [my] performance,” said Sheeraz, who said he would be sat ringside on October 31 to watch Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez challenge for Christian Mbilli’s WBC belt.
“I got the win, that’s all that matters. I could make a million excuses. I’ll be better in the next fight.
“I need a step up now, someone who will mentally present a challenge. I was switching off at times, I was too comfortable when I didn’t have a threat in front of me.”
A bloodied Josh Kelly wins his IBF World Super Welterweight title contest against Caoimhin Agyarko
Josh Kelly overcame a horror gash to his nose as he secured a unanimous points win against Irishman Caoimhin Agyarko in an IBF Light-Middleweight title fight in Saudi Arabia.
Nicknamed ‘Pretty Boy’, Kelly was left bloodied as the pair clashed heads in the 11th round with the Brit’s face left a mess.
But he did enough to get the win with scorecards of 115-112, 115-112, 114-113.
“I told Caoimhin, don’t take it as a loss, take it as a learning. If he wants it bad enough, he will bounce back,” said Kelly.
Agyarko said: “I thought I won it, but if it’s not good enough for the judges, I accept that. I’m heartbroken, I wanted to make history. Josh Kelly is a class act, but I think he underestimated me a bit, there.
“Listen, it will come. I will be the first Black Irish world champion, there’s no doubt about that.”
After the bout, Kelly said he wants to face unified 154-pound champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents both Kelly and Ennis, said a clash between the two in the States is now a real option.
“He’s had a defence of the title and before that mandatory comes again, really you want to be looking at those big money fights and trying to roll the dice,” Hearn said.
“I think that comes with ‘Boots’ Ennis. If I’m Josh Kelly I’m looking at the big payday out in America against ‘Boots’ Ennis. It’s a three-belt unification fight. [WBC champion] Sebastian Fundora, all those guys.”
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