“I did what I had to do tonight. I’m happy, world champion, but yeah, I want to unify now,” Sheeraz told Ring Magazine after the fight.
“Any of the champions, they’re big champions in the division, man. It’s a serious division. I’d love, well, I’m going to be a part of their fights now because I’m a world champion. So yeah, man, let’s unite.
“And Canelo too, I’m sure he must feel.”
The reaction online centered on the contrast between what Sheeraz said and the names he chose to mention. If his priority was to prove he was the best fighter at 168, fans expected him to defeat champions like Christian Mbilli or Osleys Iglesias. Instead, the discussion quickly shifted to Canelo, who still represents the biggest payday in the division despite turning 35 and showing visible decline in recent fights.
Canelo faded badly in the second half of his loss to Crawford last year. Even though Crawford, 38, fought cautiously for long stretches and applied very little sustained pressure, Canelo’s output dropped sharply after the midpoint. He looked slower, easier to hit and struggled to maintain pace.
That performance is one of the reasons why some fans believe Mbilli could be a big problem for Canelo on September 12th. Unlike Crawford, Mbilli fights aggressively, throws in volume and forces opponents to constantly work at close range.
For critics, this is what made Sheeraz’s comments stand out. Mentioning Canelo, regardless of whether he beats Mbilli or loses to him, gave the impression that the WBO title could be a path to a big payday rather than the start of a campaign to clean up the division.
Sheeraz insisted before the fight that he wanted a “demolition job” against Begic and believes he delivered just that.
“I said demolition from the start and I believe that’s what I did tonight. Head-to-body attacks,” Sheeraz said. “I know you’ve had a knock out for quite some time so it was nice to get it.”
The 26-year-old also admitted he felt ring rust after inactivity and the unusual atmosphere of outdoor fighting in Egypt.
“I felt it. I don’t know if it was because of the new atmosphere here, literally in the middle of the desert, or what it was, but I was just happy to be back there, man,” Sheeraz said.
Sheeraz leaves Egypt with a world title and a higher profile, but the reaction afterwards suggests fans still want to see him against dangerous championship-level opposition before fully accepting him as a major force in the super middleweight division.
