Unified middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly voiced his displeasure at having to travel for a mandatory defence, but after being hospitalised for dehydration deep into fight week before the original July 13 date, couldn’t afford to be picky against Andrei Mikhailovich on Friday night. Now, the unbeaten Kazakh’s doubled down on his undisputed ambitions.
Janibek: Send me the papers, I’ll sign any time
Janibek was keen to stress, post-fight, that he was shaking off rust after a year-long layoff.
Back in April this year, I spoke to his manager Egis Klimas asking for an update on his return timeline, some six months removed from unifying titles against a gun-shy IBF titlist in Vincenzo Gualtieri. The answer?
Unclear. “Top Rank have some dates and their own plans, but we’ll leave it in the hands of the matchmakers to decide what’s next and when, the end of summer most likely,” he told me. Ten days shy of a full calendar year since the hard-hitting Kazakh boxed and well, he didn’t set the house on fire in Sydney this weekend.
That, coupled with a deceptive championship resume where you question his biggest win – short-notice challenger Denzel Bentley stands out – and it’s easy to see why many feel like the 160lb division is crying out for a jolt of fresh quality.
Janibek’s title run to date
IBF only — Oct. 24: Andrei Mikhailovich, R9 TKO
IBF, WBO unification — Oct. 23: Vincenzo Gualtieri, R6 TKO
First defence — May 2023: Steven Butler, R2 KO
Full title — Nov. 22: Denzel Bentley, UD12
Interim WBO world champion — May 2022: Danny Dignum, R2 KO
Bentley’s promotional stablemate Hamzah Sheeraz (21-0, 25yo) and Italy’s Etinosa Oliha (21-0, 26yo) are among the new generation looking to announce themselves on the world scene while the former’s recent performances feel impossible to ignore.
Russian-born New Zealander Mikhailovich, 21-0 with 13 KOs before a maiden world title shot here, was brave and survived an ominous second-round knockdown but this assignment came far too soon for a challenger that may need to go on a run against more seasoned opposition to earn another opportunity in a few years’ time.
By then, Janibek and newly-crowned European champion Sheeraz among others will have set their sights on a new weight division. Such is the circle of life, but a key talking point here was the absence of WBO honours being on the line as the sanctioning body – just like the WBC – will likely order their mandatory next.
Sheeraz is ranked #1 by the WBO and WBC, where Carlos Adames holds the full title after being upgraded over the summer and earning a UD12 victory over long-time contender Terrell Gausha on June 15. WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara is under the same promotional banner as Adames with PBC and at 41, ended a near two-year layoff with stoppage victories over Michael Zerafa and Danny Garcia this year.
“I do have two titles, two are missing. Any of them, Adames or Lara, I’m ready anytime… send me the papers, I’ll sign it any time,” Janibek insisted afterwards, but we all know it’s never as simple as that otherwise we’d have already seen it.
Pictures and quotes via BoxingScene unless stated
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