England’s Hamzah Sheeraz scored a By Jove thunderbolt fifth-round knockout,  over Edgar Berlanga at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.

The ring coup de grace was merely the ruthless finishing touch to the drubbing  that occurred in the previous round, a reflection of tremendous punching power and unbreakable composure on a night of excellent boxing in New York.

Although Sheeraz won all the rounds, he started slowly and cautiously. picking up the pace to pick apart his opponent. He began calmly, to the point where Berlanga was encouraged to exchange blows at the end of the first round.

But the Englishman soon imposed his style, with a straight right and a precise uppercut, setting the impactful tone. In the fourth round, Berlanga came out with enthusiasm, verve and vim, believing he could demolish the British tower.

However, he only activated, provoked  and precipitated his opponent’s most consistent and effective attack. A right from Sheeraz sent him stunned to the canvas. From the ground, Berlanga gestured in annoyance, but bravely managed to get up and survived thanks to the bell.

By the fifth, Sheeraz had already smelled blood in the water. An arching left hook rocked Berlanga, and a devastating right finished him off. “The Chosen” fell without a choice  or selected  response. With this performance, Hamzah Sheeraz won a WBC eliminator bout in the 168-pound division.