SHEERAZ VOWS TO TAME THE TIGER

THE QUEENSBERRY SKIPPER Hamzah Sheeraz agrees that his experience of trading friendly fire in the gyms across the USA will prove invaluable when he comes up against American hotshot Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams in the middleweight segment of Saturday’s 5 vs 5 extravaganza in Riyadh.

The unbeaten man from Ilford takes on the unbeaten southpaw from Houston in a tie that could prove crucial given that a Sheeraz victory would reap double points for the Team Queensberry tally.

Sheeraz has not previously encountered an American opponent in the ring for real and has been subjected to typically intense tirades from the Matchroom USA man across the various media activities, with the 28-year-old six-footer even sporting a tiger’s tail as part of his pre-fight attire.

The strapping 6ft 4” Sheeraz, however, has become familiar with the American scream due to the shifting of his training camps over to California over the last three years or so, working with respected trainer Ricky Funez at the Ten Goose Gym, where he has sparred and become accustomed to the verbal warfare that tends to be employed by US fighters.

Sheeraz insists that he sees right through the facade.

“Exactly, if I didn’t have that and I had an opponent like Ammo in front of me, I think mentally I could have been in a different place to where I usually am in fight week,” he said of his American adventure.

“But I’ve seen it, I’ve been in with these loud mouths, I’ve been around them and trained with them, I know how they work and I know why they do it.

“When the cameras are switched off he is actually a decent geezer, a nice guy, but as soon as they are switched on the tail comes out and whatnot. I’m used to it, I’ve seen it and can see right through it.

“I am looking forward to a great fight on Saturday,” added Sheeraz, who rejected the quip that Williams will be chasing his tail on Saturday because his script includes an emphatic and swift conclusion to proceedings.

“I don’t think he will be doing that because I don’t plan on going the full distance. There come fights in your career where you intend to not just win, but put a beating on your opponent.

“This is one of those fights for me.”