Fast-rising middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz 18-0 (14) is expecting a statement win over Liam ‘The Machine’ Williams 25-4-1 (20) when they meat at the Copperbox Arena in Hackney Wick, East London, England on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old from Ilford, Essex is being touted as a genuine world title threat. At six-foot-three he is tall of the division and is ranked number four by the WBC, number five by the WBO and number 11 by the WBA.
Former world title challenger Williams, 31, is what you would consider a youthful veteran. Although yet to break through at the top level, he has been mixing in good company for the past seven years and has been stopped just once in his four losses on cuts.
Sheeraz is confident he can go one better and score a definitive knockout.
“The ideal night is a Hamzah Sheeraz win, it all depends on that. For me to achieve my dreams and make people proud, I have to put on a performance,” Sheeraz said.
“A stoppage is the plan and I don’t see why I can’t do it. The way I work and my mentality is elite level. I am rubbing shoulders with great champions in LA and only learning off them.”
While all the momentum is on Sheeraz’s side, Williams is paying no mind to the bookmakers who have him listed as a 7/2 underdog.
“Good for them, I couldn’t give a fuck what they’ve got me,” Williams said.
“Camp has gone really, really well and I’ve trained my nuts off. I’m ready and if I’m not ready now, I never will be.
“I feel like I’ve turned back the clock a little bit and I’ve got the killer instinct back. I’m really digging in and want to be the best.
“I don’t think he has been in with someone yet who has really tested him and stuck it on him. On Saturday night we are going to see how he holds up to that.
“Personally, I think it’s a bad mistake. They’ve bought me in to get beaten by this guy. He’s very good, he’s talented. He’s obviously big for the weight. The list goes on really but I don’t think I’m the right guy for the job. I think you’ve bought in the wrong guy.”
Williams was originally slated to face Sheeraz in November before the bout was postponed after Sheeraz suffered a perforated eardrum. The extra time in camp has only made Williams more confident of victory.
“It’s still the same view and vision from me. I think I’m gonna stop him. I give him his credit. He’s a quality fighter and I’ve been quite impressed with himself. Fair play to him but I just think the timing’s wrong,” he said.
“I have seen a couple of things about who people would like to see him fight after this. It hasn’t even happened yet. [Nathan] Heaney, [Liam] Smith, [Chris] Eubank Jr. I’m thinking ‘What the fuck are these guy’s talking about? He hasn’t beaten me yet and he’s not going to.’
“We’ll see how that plays out on Saturday night.”
