Frank Warren has confirmed that Queensberry Promotions will have Hamzah Sheeraz fight for a world title next.
Sheeraz is coming off good wins against Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams and Tyler Denny and is very highly rated in the world of boxing.
The unbeaten 25-year-old has won each of his 21 bouts inside the squared circle – with 17 coming inside the distance.
And Warren has now revealed world glory will be on offer for Sheeraz when he next steps back in the ring.
He told talkSPORT.com: “Hamzah, we will be announcing his opponent soon, he will be fighting on February 22 in a world title fight.”
When pressed on whether it would be Kazakhstan’s undefeated Janibek Alimkhanuly, Warren refused to comment on the matter.
Saudi Arabia will host their first Riyadh Season card of the New Year on February 22, 2025.
The country celebrates Saudi Founding Day annually on February 22.
Sheeraz is currently ranked No.1 by the WBC (their champion is Carlos Adames) and No.1 by the WBO.
Alimkhanuly, who also owns the IBF belt, is the WBO champion too, so it is likely that he or Adames will be Sheeraz’s next opponent come February in Saudi Arabia.
The other champion is Erislandy Lara (WBA), but Sheeraz is ranked No.6 with them, so that fight is less likely to occur.
Warren also confirmed at the beginning of November that IBF heavyweight king Daniel Dubois would not fight Anthony Joshua in a rematch in his next bout.
‘Triple D’ blasted Joshua out inside five rounds in their September bout at Wembley Stadium, ending any hopes of the latter challenging for a heavyweight title soon.
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn previously confirmed in the days after the shocking upset that talks were underway for a rematch and moving in a positive direction.
But negotiations have now come to an abrupt halt after Hearn said Joshua was still nursing some ‘niggles’ from his encounter with Dubois.
Meanwhile, Warren confirmed in an interview with BoxNation on Friday that he doesn’t see a rematch with AJ ‘happening next’ for Dubois.
“I was hoping we would get it done fairly quickly, but we won’t. I was hoping to get it done last week and this week,” he said.
“So sometime next week we are going to be in a position where we can close on something and we are talking to a few other guys.
“I’m hearing that he [Joshua] is injured. Whatever it is, if things are going to happen they happen and it has taken a while so you’ve got to feel it won’t happen.
“Unless I get a phone call saying it is on. But we have got to make some decisions and with the greatest respect to everyone we are in the Daniel Dubois business.
“He is the one that matters for me… I want him out on that date and he wants to be out [February 22].”
IBF president Daryl Peoples confirmed in October that Dubois can make an optional defence against any ranked fighter before April 22, 2025.
This left the door open for a domestic dust-up with Fabio Wardley, who defended his British heavyweight title against Frazer Clarke last month.
Dubois recently told talkSPORT he would welcome a fight with his Queensberry stablemate, but Warren expects the pair to meet further down the line.
Joshua is ranked No.8 by the IBF with Agit Kabayel, Martin Bakole and Zhilei Zhang all ahead of him.
