That mismatch is a problem for a Riyadh Season card already struggling to create real fan excitement outside of Oleksandr Usyk’s name value. Hardcore fans can spot a manufactured title setup quickly, and the reaction around Sheeraz-Begic has reflected that skepticism. Instead of feeling like a meaningful championship fight, the matchup has the appearance of a sanctioning-body formality designed to move Sheeraz into the title picture with minimal resistance.
It is a complete farce, and no buzz for this fight or the event. Charging fans $60 for a pay-per-view card that features a world title fight this heavily mismatched is a tough pill to swallow.
When the WBO title became vacant, the sanctioning body originally ordered Sheeraz to fight Diego Pacheco. That would have been a legitimate, highly anticipated matchup. But Pacheco pulled out of the negotiations, choosing instead to focus on settling in with his new training and management setup.
Once Pacheco was out of the picture, Sheeraz’s team needed an opponent quickly to secure the vacant belt. Instead of forcing a fight with a dangerous, live contender like Jacob Bank, who was right there in the mix, the WBO went in another direction. They approved the request for Sheeraz to face Alem Begic, who somehow held a #4 ranking despite a resume completely devoid of world-class opposition.
By sanctioning this, the WBO essentially gifted Sheeraz an open runway to pick up a world title. His team, including trainer Andy Lee, isn’t even hiding the fact that they are looking right past this weekend. They are already talking about using this belt to force unifications and chase undisputed status at 168 pounds over the next year.
Begic is a 39-year-old fighter getting a lottery ticket opportunity on a massive stage at the Pyramids, but competitively, it is a glaring mismatch. For the fans being asked to fork over premium PPV prices, seeing a major world title treated as a foregone conclusion on the undercard feels less like a historic event and more like a promotional showcase masquerading as a championship fight.
Winning a vacant title against a 39-year-old who has never beaten anyone of note is the ultimate shortcut to a life-changing payday.
If Sheeraz goes out and fights a real threat at 168 pounds like Osleys Iglesias or even Christian Mbilli, he is taking a massive risk of getting knocked out, which would derail his momentum completely. By taking this paper title route against Begic, he gets to call himself a world champion without taking any real damage or risking his hype.
Once that WBO strap is around his waist, he becomes a highly attractive option for Canelo Alvarez. Canelo is always looking for opponents who bring a world title to the table, and a fight against an undefeated British champion like Sheeraz can easily sell out a stadium in the UK or headline a massive card in Riyadh.
For Sheeraz, it is a brilliant business move. He uses a manufactured title fight in Egypt to position himself directly in the Canelo sweepstakes, knowing that even a loss to a legend keeps his stock relatively high while securing his financial future. It is a win-win for him, even if the fans are the ones getting shortchanged this weekend.
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