NEW YORK – Hamzah Sheeraz showed Canelo Alvarez the type of respect Saturday night the humble Brit believes a fighter he grew up idolizing deserves.

The ascending super middleweight contender had just demolished Edgar Berlanga, who went the distance with Alvarez almost 10 months ago in Las Vegas.

If that superb performance eventually secures Sheeraz a shot at boxing's undisputed super middleweight champion, all Sheeraz would guarantee during his post-fight press conference is that he will go out on his shield versus Alvarez, even if it means getting knocked out by the Mexican icon.

"I'm not gonna sit here and loudmouth someone like [Canelo]," Sheeraz said. "But it would be an honor to share the ring with him. It genuinely would. Someone who, like I said, I've looked up to. And the next thing you know, you’re in the ring with them. Do you know what I mean? So, like I said, it’s an accomplishment itself. But one thing I can guarantee is if I do ever share the ring with Canelo, it’s not gonna be the case of what happened in his last fight [against William Scull], where his opponent was trying to run.

"I promise you guys, like it's on camera here, even if I get knocked out, I will stand there and trade with him at the end of the day. Do you know what I mean? So, I’ll put on a good performance, because that's what it’s about … being great, daring to be great. And I know I’ll do just that."

Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) stood and traded at times with the heavy-handed Berlanga in the main event of “Ring III” at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens. Brooklyn's Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) had some success in the early rounds, most notably with an accurate, quick jab Sheeraz said surprised him.

A composed Sheeraz's left hook dropped Berlanga beneath a bottom rope with 42 seconds to go in the fourth round, though. Berlanga, badly hurt by that shot, beat referee David Fields' count, but Sheeraz's vicious left-right combination sent him to the canvas again with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth round.

The bell to end the fourth round saved Berlanga before Sheeraz could finish him. Sheeraz sensed Berlanga was still hurt when the fifth round began and attacked accordingly.

A right-left combination by Sheeraz rocked Berlanga again and led to him using his right glove to keep from going down. That sequence should have counted as a third knockdown, though that technicality was rendered irrelevant because Fields already started to move between them and ended their 12-round bout 17 seconds into the fifth.

Sheeraz's spectacular super middleweight debut caused immediate speculation regarding the hard-punching, 6-foot-4 Englishman challenging Alvarez. Turki Alalshikh stated Sheeraz’s impressive victory over Berlanga earned him a shot at Alvarez’s Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 168-pound crowns.

Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) must first deal with fellow four-division champion Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), one of the best boxers of this generation, in their highly anticipated showdown September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Even if Alvarez defeats Crawford, Sheeraz would probably box another opponent to at least stay sharp before getting that career-changing opportunity. Sheeraz, 26, is thankful that after his damaging split draw with WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) on February 22 he is considered a credible option for Guadalajara’s Alvarez.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Sheeraz said. "I'm a humble guy – always have been. Canelo is one of my boxing heroes, and I’ve said it. So, like I said, even my name to be mentioned in the same sentence as his is a massive honor, man. Listen, you’ve gotta remember, from where I’ve come from, nothing, I swear nothing.

Everyone thinks just because of the way I carry myself that I’ve been fed with a silver spoon. I honestly haven’t, I’ve come from nothing - just don’t portray [that]. But that’s what boxing’s about, at the end of the day. Do you know what I mean? I’ve experienced a lot.”