Frank Warren reacts to Hamzah Sheeraz vacating world title instead of facing Janibek Alimkhanuly

Frank Warren believes Hamzah Sheeraz has been wrongfully advised to vacate his WBO title and avoid facing leading contender Janibek Alimkhanuly.

The saga began with Alimkhanuly becoming the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger at 168lbs, despite testing positive for banned substance meldonium in November.

Back then, the IBF responded by stripping the Kazakh of his middleweight belt, while the WBO dished out a year-long suspension – only to then terminate it in July – and allow the undefeated 33-year-old to keep his world title.

Not only that, but the organisation ordered Sheeraz to make a mandatory defence after Alimkhanuly decided to vacate his strap and join the super-middleweight division.

This then led to a purse bid hearing, with Queensberry Promotions placing a winning sum of just over $1 million and securing the right to stage their contest.

Yet despite being entitled to the lion’s share of a 75/25 split, Sheeraz decided to vacate the belt he had acquired by scoring a second-round finish over Alem Begic in May.

Speaking with IFL TV, Queensberry boss Warren expressed his frustration with the 27-year-old, who is believed to have at least one fight remaining on his current promotional contract.

“I’m very disappointed about [Sheeraz] vacating his belt. Vacating the belt based upon what? There is no reason; there’s no rationale to that. You’re a champion – defend your belt.

“You won it against probably the easiest guy in the top 50. We manipulated and worked hard to get him in that position, and now he doesn’t want to [defend the title].

“I know who he listens to for his advice, and the fella who’s telling him all this stuff – what he knows about boxing you could write on a pin head.”

As a result of Sheeraz relinquishing his world title, Alimkhanuly has been ordered to face fellow unbeaten contender Jacob Bank for the vacant belt.