Britain's Sheeraz Stops Berlanga As Stevenson Retains Title

Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz made a successful measurement up to ace middleweight pinch a destructive fifth-round stoppage triumph against Edgar Berlanga successful New York.

In nan different co-main event, Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight world title pinch a unanimous determination triumph complete William Zepeda.

Sheeraz, 26, knocked Berlanga down doubly successful nan 4th information and again astatine nan commencement of nan 5th to unit nan referee to extremity nan fight.

The awesome triumph improves Sheeraz's grounds to 22-0, pinch 1 tie and 18 wins wrong nan distance.

It was nan Briton's first conflict since that tie - against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames successful February - aft which he decided to make nan measurement up to ace middleweight.

Berlanga's grounds is now 23-2 aft a 2nd conclusion successful 3 fights, pinch March's stoppage of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz preceded by a unanimous points conclusion by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

Meanwhile, Stevenson comfortably won connected each 3 judges' scorecards against Zepeda to make a 3rd defence of his WBC lightweight title.

Two judges scored nan bout 118-110 and a 3rd saw it 119-109 for nan 28-year-old American, who improved his unbeaten grounds to 24-0 pinch 11 knockouts.

It was a first profession conclusion for Mexican Zepeda, 29, whose grounds is now 33-1.

The paper was held astatine nan Louis Armstrong Stadium, 1 of nan show courts astatine Flushing Meadows, big venue of nan US Open tennis.