Chris Algieri has called the potential February clash between champion Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz an “excellent fight” and a “potential banger.”
Speculation has intensified that they could be headed onto a February 22 bill in Saudi Arabia, with WBC middleweight champion defending his title against England’s heavy-hitting challenger.
The February 22 bill could also include the return of IBF heavyweight beltholder Daniel Dubois and was set to feature the lightweight clash between Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda, but Zepeda collected a hand injury in his narrow win over Tevin Farmer last week and that contest will be delayed.
Algieri, however, was full of praise for the potential middleweight clash between 24-1 (18 KOs) Adames and 21-0 (17 KOs) Sheeraz.
“This is actually the fight that I want more than any other in that division,” explained Algieri. “I know we talk about the middleweights as a bit of a barren wasteland, we’ve got Janibek [Alimkhanuly] at the top, most people consider him the guy to beat, but I really like the way Carlos Adames has looked since moving up in weight. I remember him back at welterweight, and I couldn’t believe he made the weight. He was killing himself to make that weight move up to ’54, I believe he was really struggling with the weight there as well, but at 160, he looks like a totally different guy. He is a beast, he brings it, he is a ton of fun to watch.”
Speaking on ProBox TV’s Top Stories, Algieri said Sheeraz was “just about a can’t miss” prospect.
“He’s got it all, he’s got the size, the power, the mentality. He’s obviously going for the toughest fights possible,” added Algieri.
Algieri’s ProBox TV colleague, Paulie Malignaggi, also likes the possibility of Sheeraz taking on Adames, and was full of respect for the Englishman opting to take on one of the toughest fights in the division.
“I think Sheeraz could be the future of this weight class,” Malignaggi added. “Even though Janibek is more of the sort of seasoned champion, I feel like Adames is better than Janibek by this point. While you might be the future of the weight class in Sheeraz, you’re taking on the toughest of the world champions, so it’s a bit riskier.
“He [Adames] is not easy to deal with, and he’s gotten better. He’s continued to improve and he’s no easy picnic for anybody, so for your first world championship fight, to have to go up against Carlos Adames, and to have to live up to the expectation, it’s not easy, but it’s a fight I look forward to seeing.”