Hamzah Sheeraz is scoffing at the money on the table for his ordered clash with Janibek Alimkhanuly, yet the numbers reflect his true commercial standing. The genuine issue is not the purse bid. It is taking on a destructive southpaw puncher while plotting his next promotional contract.
“If Hamzah will have a balls to take this fight it can bring ‘Best Fight of the Year.’ It’s a huge and big fight for boxing fans. We are in and ready. Hamzah, are you ready?” Janibek’s manager, Egis Klimas, posted on X.
Sheeraz answered: “Brother, if it was a ‘huge fight,’ Top Rank or yourself would have put up big numbers. You’re a smart man; you already know this. But no need to worry.”
Queensberry secured the WBO purse bid at $1,001,809, edging out Top Rank’s $820,000 submission. Under the 75 to 25 split, Sheeraz takes home approximately $751,357.
Sheeraz mocks Top Rank for coming in low, but Frank Warren looked at the identical math. If Queensberry projected massive British gate receipts or pay-per-view interest, Warren would have posted a number to match. Instead, he submitted just enough to control the promotion. The sum matches reported estimates from Sheeraz’s bouts against Carlos Adames, Edgar Berlanga, and Simon Zachenhuber. A fighter with roughly 11,900 followers on X and 190,000 on Instagram does not generate elite demand outside specialized circles.
Calendar positioning explains the retreat. Sheeraz revealed that he has a single fight left under his Queensberry agreement and pointed toward testing free agency with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. Stepping into the ring with an avoided knockout artist right before open negotiations is terrible business. A brutal loss strips his negotiating power before talks even begin.
His performance against Zachenhuber makes Janibek look terrifying. Sheeraz labored to a majority decision against an unheralded opponent, showing technical flaws under pressure. Janibek possesses superior timing, heavier hands, and high-level southpaw punch placement.
His sudden anti-doping outrage doesn’t make sense. Sheeraz openly hunts for Canelo Alvarez, completely ignoring Canelo’s 2018 clenbuterol suspension. The distinction is obvious. Canelo provides generational wealth, while Janibek presents a beatdown without the massive financial cushion.
Sheeraz is entitled to pass on $751,357. Boxing remains a business of managed risk. Pretending the bid undervalues his profile or claiming moral high ground over old test results fools nobody.