Hamzah Sheeraz prepared for ‘war’ with ‘tough’ Liam Williams at Copperbox Arena amid links to Chris Eubank Jnr fight

Sheeraz will bring an 18-fight unbeaten record to the ring, and talk has already turned to a possible clash with Chris Eubank Jnr.

Williams took issue with such thoughts at a press conference on Thursday.

“Personally I think it’s a bad mistake, bringing me in to get beat by this guy,” Williams said of his opponent at middleweight. “He’s very good, he’s talented. He’s obviously big for the weight.

“But I don’t think I’m the right guy for the job, I think you brought in the wrong guy.”

Sheeraz denied disrespecting Williams, telling TNT Sports it is something he has never done.

“I have been brought up to be respectful,” Sheeraz said. “To this day I have never called a fighter out, I have never disrespected a fighter.

“It is how I am, all about business and Saturday night we go to war.”

Reflecting on Williams’ assertion that he is a bad fit, Sheeraz said: “My last six opponents have said the same thing. I mean that respectfully, in a humble manner.

“Only I know what I am capable of, my team and what not, so this is the perfect fight for me to show it, so let’s go.”

Sheeraz says his preparation has gone to plan, and he is ready for the challenge posed by the 31-year-old Welshman.

“Our preparation has been great, doing the sparring and putting in the road work,” Sheeraz said. “For this fight I have got to be extra. When people say 10%, I have got to be 100% fitter, 100% stronger and that’s what I have been doing.”

When asked if a statement performance could catch the eye of Eubank, Sheeraz said: “All that matters is a win, and a win in good fashion as well.”

Williams took Eubank the distance in February of 2022, but Sheeraz feels that holds no relevance to their clash on Saturday.

“Eubank, whoever he has been in with, that is irrelevant,” Sheeraz said. “How he fought him and how I fight him are two completely different things.

“Every fight, every fighter has different preparations. Sometimes it is better, sometimes it is worse and you never know. All I can do is prepare for the best version of him and that is what I have done.”

Sheeraz expects Williams to turn the fight in East London into a war.

“He is tough, gritty,” Sheeraz said. “You just have to look at how we shape up. I am tall, skinny, rangy and he is short and stocky. He is going to get in and try and rough me up.

“It is nothing I have not prepared for, I know it is a completely different game with 10oz gloves on, it is a different game.

“All these little factors play a part. But I feel my time is now. I am young, 24 years old, and I am ready.”

Sheeraz has 14 knockouts to his name, but says he learned a lesson that he cannot rely on power to win fights.

“It is dangerous to fall into the trap of believing you have heavy hands,” Sheeraz said. “As a fighter, it is a bad thing to do and I have done it. I did that for the [Bradley] Skeete fight.

“Before that I thought I was knocking people out and all I had to do was land. That was not the case and I learnt a big lesson that night.

“That fight onwards I have never depended on my power. If it comes, it comes, and as long as preparation has gone well and I have done everything I’ve needed to do, it will happen. And so far it has been.”

Hamzah Sheeraz v Liam Williams and Anthony Yarde v Marko Nikolic will be live on TNT Sports from 7pm UK time on Saturday, February 10.

The main event ringwalk is scheduled for 10pm UK time.

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