Sheeraz walked down Begic after early punch landed

Hamzah Sheeraz says his world title victory against Alem Begic was decided by the opening exchanges. The welterweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light middleweight said his opponent turned defensive from the first punch.

“It was simple - I saw he was very negative from when I landed the first punch. After that it was about walking him down and getting out of there. That is what we've done.”

— Hamzah Sheeraz, via BBC Sport

What Hamzah Sheeraz said

Sheeraz won a world title at welterweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light middleweight against Begic. The victory continues his push in a division where sanctioning-body rankings shift constantly. Begic came into the bout as the challenger, and Sheeraz now holds a belt at 154 pounds.

What it moves

Sheeraz told BBC Sport that his approach was straightforward once he sensed Begic retreating. The quote suggests a front-foot performance from the opening bell. Whether Sheeraz moves up in weight or defends next remains open, but he has planted his flag at welterweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light middleweight.

Source: bbc.com. Full Hamzah Sheeraz fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.