By: Sean Crose
The super middleweight division was home to a 12 round WBC eliminator between Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz Saturday night in the New York borough of Queens. Shakur Stevenson was also on the card, taking on William Zepeda in a lightweight affair scheduled for 12. The fights were broadcast live on Pay Per View courtesy of DAZN. It wasn’t a Pay Per View worthy event to be sure, but it was a strong card nonetheless, one which featured excellent, well regarded ring practitioners.
Stevenson was able to slick his way through the first against Zepeda. The second saw the two men throw down, with Zepeda firing aggressively and Stevenson counterpunching effectively. Zepeda remained effectively aggressive in the third, and even landed against the normally slippery Stevenson. The fourth was a grinding affair for both men. Indeed it was hard to tell who ultimately got the better of who. As for the fifth – it was a firefight – something Stevenson critics don’t frequently see. Stevenson fired well in the sixth, showing that a few landed punched wouldn’t stop him.
Zepeda fought well in the seventh, though he might not have fought well enough to take the round from the fast, accurate Stevenson. The eighth was close but it was now Stevenson’s fight after a few vulnerable moments earlier in the bout. By the ninth it was clear that Stevenson’s sharp punches were pushing the fight in his direction. He was also the more accurate puncher in the tenth. The penultimate round saw Zepeda letting his hands fly. Stevenson, however, looked to simply be the more skilled fighter. The twelfth showcased Stevenson’s superior shots, as they once again told the tale. Suffice to say, Stevenson left the ting victorious after being awarded a unanimous decision win from the judges.
It was time for the main event as the 23-1 Berlanga slipped in between the ropes to square off against the 21-0-1 Sheeraz. The opening round was close, though Berlanga may have edged it. Things remained close in the second. Sheeraz tried to turn up the pressure in the third. Things took a sharp turn in the fourth, as Sheeraz dropped Berlanga not once but twice. To his credit Berlanga was able to survive the round. It didn’t matter, though. Sheeraz put Berlanga down and out in the fifth, as the referee stepped in and stopped the fight without having to count.
