JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY is reportedly set to secure a three-belt unification showdown later this year, only it won’t be against WBC world middleweight champion Carlos Adames.
Instead, the formidable Kazakh appears likely to face his WBA counterpart, Erislandy Lara, on the undercard of Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz vs Lamont Roach Jr.
While it is yet to be officially announced, the PBC pay-per-view event has been slated for December 6 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, with Cruz’s advisor, Sean Gibbons, revealing that much to multiple reporters.
As for the mooted unification between Alimkhanuly, 17-0 (12 KOs), and Lara, BoxingScene has reported that the fight is practically a done deal and will take place before 2025 comes to a close.
Alimkhanuly was previously in talks to face Adames, while also lashing out at his rival via social media every so often, but it seems that, for whatever reason, the Dominican champion has now decided to explore alternative options.
Either way, Alimkhanuly, who last defended his IBF and WBO titles against Anauel Ngamissengue in April, seems as though he will, after all, enter a long-awaited unification in December.
Only, instead of it being a mouth-watering contest with Adames, the 32-year-old is likely to square off against Lara, 31-3-3 (19 KOs), a largely inactive champion, who has not fought since his ninth-round stoppage victory over Danny Garcia in September 2024.
Prior to that, the 42-year-old was elevated from ‘regular’ to full WBA champion in March 2023, and despite entering just two fights since then, has never looked in any real danger of getting stripped of his black and gold title.
In any case, though, Alimkhanuly would doubtless emerge as a heavy favourite should their 160lbs title tussle come to fruition.
