It was recently revealed that the WBO has officially ordered a world title fight between Janibek Alimkhanuly and Hamzah Sheeraz. The announcement has generated great anticipation in the middleweight division. This decision marks a showdown between two undefeated fighters, both looking to establish themselves as the top figures in the category.
After hearing the news, Janibek Alimkhanuly took to his official “X” account, formerly known as Twitter. The Kazakh boxer stated that he and his team are ready for the fight. “See, this is official! Me and my team are ready! Now we are waiting for a response from brother Hamzah!” Alimkhanuly wrote, making his readiness for the bout clear.
The WBO has set a 15-day deadline for both teams to reach an agreement, with the deadline being October 23. If no agreement is reached, the fight will go to purse bid. This information was revealed in a letter issued by the WBO last Tuesday. However, either team can request that the fight be sent to purse bid before the deadline if they choose to do so. The minimum bid for the fight has been set at $200,000.
Janibek Alimkhanuly, holding an undefeated record of 16 wins, 11 by knockout, is a 31-year-old Kazakh who lives in Oxnard, California. In his most recent fight, he successfully defended his IBF and WBO titles with a ninth-round technical knockout against Andrei Mikhailovich.
On the other hand, Hamzah Sheeraz, also undefeated with a record of 21-0 and 17 knockouts, is a 25-year-old from London. In his latest bout, Sheeraz impressively stopped Tyler Denny in just two rounds on the undercard of the Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua event. His performance has established him as a serious contender in the middleweight division, which currently lacks depth.
In addition to being ranked number one by the WBO, Sheeraz also holds the top spot in the World Boxing Council (WBC) rankings. The current WBC champion is Dominican Carlos Adames. Sheeraz has shown that he is ready to take on bigger challenges, and this fight against Alimkhanuly could be his opportunity to make a significant leap in his career.
The clash between Janibek Alimkhanuly and Hamzah Sheeraz promises to be one of the most exciting matchups in a division that has seen a lack of dominant figures in recent years. Sheeraz’s youth and Alimkhanuly’s experience will create a stylistic battle that boxing fans are eagerly awaiting. As both teams work toward reaching an agreement, time is running out, and the boxing world will be watching the developments closely.
The winner of this fight could solidify themselves as one of the most important figures in the middleweight division and move closer to title unification, a goal both fighters have expressed in the past. With the October 23 deadline fast approaching, the coming days will be crucial in determining the future of this highly anticipated bout.
See, this is official! Me and my team are ready! Now we are waiting for a response from brother Hamza!
— Janibek Alimkhanuly (@qazaqstyle) October 8, 2024
🚨 JANIBEK MUST FACE SHEERAZ NEXT
The WBO has now officially ordered their Middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly to defend his title against the mandatory challenger Hamzah Sheeraz next. The pair have 15 days to reach a deal or purse bids will be ordered. pic.twitter.com/VPj2Gz6WSY
— EverythingBoxing (@EverythingBoxi2) October 8, 2024
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