REIGNING WBO and IBF world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, 16-0 (11 KOs), has established himself as the man to beat at middleweight over the last couple years, hardly losing a round across four title defences thus far. However, Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz is hot on his tail and hopes to secure a three-belt unification bout by the end of the year, should he defeat Carlos Adames for the WBC crown next month.
Whilst Alimkhanuly awaits his toughest test to date, it has now been reported that he will face Sheeraz’s countryman, in a left-field defence of his two world titles.
Alimkhanuly has been moved quickly since turning professional in 2016, and aside from a split-decision scare against Vaughn Alexander in his fourth contest, the Kazakh has looked comfortable and appeared untested.
After halting Danny Dignum in May 2022, ‘Qazaq Style’ claimed the WBO interim middleweight title and was upgraded to full world champion three months later, following Demetrius Andrade’s decision to vacate the belt.
In his time as champion, Alimkhanuly defended his strap against Denzel Bentley and Steven Butler, before unifying with the IBF marble by knocking out Vincenzo Gualtieri in November 2023.
However, after difficulties making weight, the champion would appear just once during 2024, defending just his IBF title against New Zealand’s Andrei Mikhailovich in a third consecutive stoppage win, with the WBO refusing to sanction the bout as a world title contest.
Despite previous concerns making 160lbs, Alimkhanuly seems determined to remain at the weight, hoping to become the first undisputed middleweight champion since Jermain Taylor in 2005.
As a result, the unbeaten 31-year-old had been linked to a showdown with WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara, in order to tee up the undisputed clash with either Adames or Sheeraz later this year.
Yet, esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael has reported that Alimkhanuly is close to instead agreeing a deal to fight Sheffield’s Shakiel Thompson, 13-0 (9 KOs), in what would be the defending champion’s first fight on home soil in over seven years.
Thompson has impressed on GBM Sports shows during 2024, stopping both Vladimir Georgiev and River Wilson-Bent to win and then defend the WBO Global and IBF European middleweight titles, respectively – although the jump to the world level is a monumental one.
Before the supposed world title opportunity, Thompson, who is rated at #9 with the WBO, will return to fight on Friday, February 7, at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, where an opponent is yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, Adames collides with Sheeraz on February 22 on the mammoth Beterbiev-Bivol II undercard in Riyadh, where the victor will be well poised for a crack at Alimkhanuly and two further world titles unless Thompson can pull off an almighty upset.
