Doubt began to creep in over Hamzah Sheeraz's credentials as a future boxing superstar following his disappointing split draw with Carlos Adames earlier this year.

Following his destructive fifth-round knockout of Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night in the main event of "Ring III" at Louis Armstrong Stadium, however, plenty of questions were answered by the Ilford man.

Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) knocked down Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) twice at the end of the fourth but ended things in a matter of seconds at the start of the fifth in the main event in Flushing Meadows.

Following the draw with Adames, Sheeraz split with Los Angeles-based Ricky Funez and linked up with Andy Lee in Dublin after making the decision to jump up from middleweight to super middleweight.

Their first fight couldn't have gone any better and, in the aftermath, Lee spoke of his pride for Sheeraz, who shed tears in the ring after referee David Fields stepped in to prevent Berlanga from shipping more damage.

"Very good, determined performance," Lee told The Ring's Louis Hart. "He grew as the fight went on, he got better as it went on and I'm proud and happy for him.

"It speaks for itself, he knocked out a beast really. He went into the lions' den, his hometown ... you heard the boos when they called his name. He had to grow into the fight, he took a few shots, he never wavered once. There was no panic in the corner. It was a wonderful performance.

"I knew at some stage [Sheeraz would get KO] ... you're fighting a big puncher like Berlanga, they're both big punchers, but I know how hard Hamzah hits, it could've been either of them with how they hit but thankfully it was Hamzah.

"It was short-range punches which won him the fight. Even though he's tall he can fight up close, he practised catching and firing. His left hand is phenomenal, what a puncher."

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh recently confirmed that Sheeraz and Chris Eubank Jr were potential future opponents for Canelo Alvarez, who is a quarter of the way through a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season.

Lee was asked about a future fight between Alvarez and Sheeraz, but the former middleweight world champion played things down and reiterated there were still improvements to be made.

"I just want to enjoy tonight and not look too far ahead," he said. "He's still a young fighter and he's still improving, that's all that matters to me."