Anthony Joshua undercard features Sheeraz and Kelly title defenses
Anthony Joshua's upcoming fight against Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, will feature two world title defenses on the undercard. WBO super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz and IBF junior middleweight champion Josh Kelly will both put their belts on the line in high-stakes matchups.
Hamzah Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBO super middleweight title against German challenger Simon Zachenhuber. Sheeraz claimed the belt in May with a second-round knockout of Alem Begic in Egypt. The Brit has been vocal about wanting a fight with Canelo Alvarez, though the Mexican star is set to face Christian Mbilli in October.
Josh Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) will defend his IBF junior middleweight title against Ireland's Caoimhin Agyarko. Kelly earned the title in January with a points win over Bakhram Murtazaliev, overcoming a late knockdown to hand the Russian his first professional loss. Agyarko (18-0, 7 KOs) steps up after his planned eliminator bout with Brandon Adams was canceled due to Adams falling ill.
The undercard adds significant depth to Joshua's return to the ring, with both Sheeraz and Kelly representing the next generation of British boxing talent. Their performances could set up future unification bouts, including a potential clash between Kelly and WBA/WBO champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis later this year.
Should Kelly successfully defend his title, promoter Eddie Hearn has hinted at a unification fight with Ennis. Sheeraz, meanwhile, will look to solidify his position as a top super middleweight contender, with a potential showdown against Alvarez still on his radar.