Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Andy Lee was smiling when just he got up in the ring. You don't often see that from the coach in between rounds.

Sheeraz is starting to find his range and work Zachenhuber out.

The Brit lands a fierce left on the body of his opponent, before finishing the round with a strong right hand as Zachenhuber stands back to the ropes.

It feels as though Sheeraz is slowly starting to work out his opponent and his awkward style.

Image source, Getty Images

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Zachenhuber is being made to work. Sometimes Sheeraz won't throw a punch for 20, 30 seconds yet Zachenhuber is working his socks off. Sheeraz is sucking his space.

Andy Lee tells Sheeraz he is "the man" before he prepares to start round three.

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Sheeraz could step two inches closer and let his hands go a little bit.

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It is a much faster start to the second round by Sheeraz, as he hits Zachenhuber with a couple of firm left jabs.

Zachenhuber seems happy to sit in and wait for Sheeraz to throw before trying to counter.

Zachenhuber ends the round with a pair of powerful overhands to remind Sheeraz he is dangerous.

Sheeraz is controlling the centre of the ring from the first second.

The Brit slips a few efforts from Zachenhuber before replying with one of his own as he makes use of his reach and height advantage.

As Sheeraz's coach, Andy Lee, predicted before the fight, it is a slow start.

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Both fighters touch gloves are we're off.

Sheeraz makes his first defence of the WBO super-middleweight title, only 63 days after claiming it.

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Dan, how do you not know who Mr Verzace is?! Haha!

The fella next to Oleksandr Usyk is Rick Reeno, the CEO of The Ring Magazine.

It is a cinematic entrance from Hamzah Sheeraz. One fit for a champion.

He is walked out by rapper Gurinder Gill.

He is cheered by the crowd in Jeddah as he makes his way to the ring in a red and yellow robe.

It is his first ring walk as a champion and he looked as if he enjoyed every moment of it.

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Challenger Simon Zachenhuber is the first fighter to make his way to the ring.

He comes out in just his shorts and shoes. No robe. No faff. He seems cool, calm and composed ahead of this one.

I have a feeling Hamzah Sheeraz's ring walk won't be as low-key as that.

It has been a busy 18 months for Simon Zachenhuber.

Since February 2025, the German has fought five times and, rather impressively, won four of those bouts.

It shows not only that Zachenhuber is durable, but also that he possesses quality in the ring.

Standing across from Hamzah Sheeraz tonight is Germany's Simon Zachenhuber.

The 28-year-old has won 29 of his 30 professional bouts, with 18 of those victories coming by knockout.

Tonight will be Zachenhuber's third fight in four months.

He is certainly not short of experience and clearly knows his way around the ring, but does he have the quality to dethrone Sheeraz?

We're about to find out.

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Hamzah Sheeraz will "find his home" within a couple of rounds, says his trainer Andy Lee.

Back in May, Hamzah Sheeraz claimed his first world title with a second-round stoppage win against Alem Begic to claim the vacant WBO super-middleweight crown in Egypt.

The Londoner imposed himself from the opening bell against the overmatched German, breaking him down with sharp straight jabs and uppercuts.

Begic was out of his depth and had no answer to Sheeraz's accuracy, with a left hook to the body eventually sending him down.

The 39-year-old failed to beat the count as the referee waved the fight off.

"It was simple - I saw he was very negative from when I landed the first punch," Sheeraz said.

"After that it was about walking him down and getting out of there. That is what we've done."

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If it hadn't been for former Chelsea and Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard, Hamzah Sheeraz wouldn't be preparing to make the first defence of the WBO super-middleweight title he won in May.

It was about 10 years ago that Sheeraz had decided to step away from the sport and return to his trade as an apprentice electrician. However, he quickly found his way back to the ring after a day spent working at Hazard's swanky London apartment helped him regain his motivation.

Earlier this week, Sheeraz told BBC Sport he had considered quitting the sport because he had "nothing lined up".

Now, only a couple of years later, Sheeraz is a WBO champion with the world at his feet.

It is a funny old game, boxing.

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Four fights down, two to go.

Next up is Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz, who makes the first defence of his WBO super-middleweight title against Germany's Simon Zachenhuber.

Sheeraz captured his first world title earlier this year, capping a remarkable rise through the professional ranks.

Tonight, he faces a fresh challenge as he looks to cement his status among the division's elite.

Image source, Getty Images

Josh Kelly, speaking after victory: "That was a messy and hard fight. I didn't get cuts from punches like this, it comes from heads and elbows. This is what it looks like when you've got tight skin.

"I knew he [Agyarko] was go to be tricky and awkward. [He had] a good game plan. He tried to make it a good boxing match. I had to show a different side of me at the end and that is what a champions does."

On what next: "I want the big names in the division. I have already took out one big name in Bakhram Murtazaliev. Let me get the other ones."