In what could prove to be exciting news for the middleweight division, reigning WBO and IBF 160-pound champ Janibek Alimkhanuly and fellow unbeaten Hamzah Sheeraz have been ordered to fight by the WBO. Alimkhanuly, 16-0(11), saw action last week, when the Kazakhstan warrior retained his two belts with a ninth-round stoppage win over a game Andrei Mikhailovich, and Alimkhanuly has made it clear he very much wants to unify the belts. But now it seems Alimkhanuly may well have to defeat Sheeraz, 21-0(17) first.
Sheeraz of London is a major talent and he is hungry to get a shot at a world title. The ordered fight, if no agreement can be reached, will go out to purse bids; the two sides now having a 15-day time-spell to reach a deal. Sheeraz scored a stoppage win of his own last time out, this when he impressively defeated Tyler Denny inside two rounds in September. Sheeraz is currently ranked at #1 by the WBO as well as by the WBC.
Interestingly, Sheeraz has also been ordered to defend his European title against Denzel Bentley, who, like Sheeraz, is promoted by Frank Warren and Queensbury (and has fought Alimkhanuly, with him going down a points loser in 2022). It will prove interesting to see which road 25 year old Sheeraz goes down here.
But 31-year-old southpaw Alimkhanuly is, for some, the best middleweight out there right now, as well as the most exciting at the weight, and it sure looks like he will take some beating. If no deal is reached between his team and Sheeraz’s team, and if the fight does go to purse bids, who knows where this fight could take place? But we fans sure want to see it.
Sheeraz believes he is set for greatness, while Alimkhanuly wants the biggest and best fights. Together, these two fighters could give the traditional 160 pound division a needed shot in the arm.
