Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: Briton Hamzah Sheeraz bout with Carlos Adames ends in controversial draw

As challenger, Ilford’s Sheeraz made an understated ring walk first, keeping his eyes firmly on his rival as both boxers were introduced to the crowd.

Adames was in confident mood throughout fight week, describing the Briton as hype and questioning the quality of his previous opponents, while not affected by the jeers which greeted him.

The pair sized each other up in the opening rounds and the champion crouched down, bobbed and weaved his way around the ring, targeting 6ft 3in Sheeraz’s body.

“You’re going to become world champion tonight, baby,” trainer Ricky Funez told Sheeraz early on.

The Londoner – who trains out in Los Angeles – upped the tempo in the fourth as he doubled up his piston-like jab and followed it up with a body shot and a chopping right.

But Adames hunted Sheeraz down and landed clean shots to win the sixth and then made the challenger wince when he connected with a thunderous overhand right in the eighth.

Promoter Frank Warren seethed as he walked over to Sheeraz’s corner at the end of round nine and yelled at his fighter to throw the uppercut.

A thudding right – Sheeraz’s best shot of the fight – did not land until the 11th and his corner changed their tune before the final round, saying: “You have to knock him out to win.”

It was Adames, though, who ended the fight on top and looked to have defended his title with an assured display.

During the wait for what would be controversial scorecards, Sheeraz appeared to gesture to his promoter Warren that there was something wrong with his hand.

Earlier this week, Sheeraz had talked up his dreams to become a three-weight world champion and welcomed a contest with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez next year.

Those ambitions, for now, seem a world away.