One fight after a disappointing performance in a middleweight title shot against Carlos Adames that ended via a heavily disputed draw, Hamzah Sheeraz made a spectacular statement in his 168-pound debut on Saturday.

Hamzah Sheeraz punctuated the first boxing card held on the grounds of the U.S. Open tennis tournament by stopping Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round Saturday night.

Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh previously named Sheeraz — an ambassador for Alalshikh's Riyadh Season efforts — alongside Chris Eubank Jr. as the front-runners to face Alvarez in 2026 after Alvarez's blockbuster Sept. 13 undisputed title fight with fellow pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford.