Is Janibek Alimkhanuly the Boogeyman of the 160 Pound Division?
Currently, WBO middleweight mandatory challenger Janibek “Qazak Style” Alimkhanuly (11-0, 7 KOs) is in negotiations with WBO number five ranked Danny Dignum (14-0-1, 8 KOs) for the WBO Interim middleweight belt. For Alimkhanuly, the hope is to have found someone willing to fight him. It’s been an arduous ordeal for the 28-year-old from Zhilandy, Kazakhstan.
HUNGRY TO BECOME A WORLD CHAMPION
After being named the mandatory challenger in November 2021, the WBO ordered a fight between him and current WBO 160-pound champion Demetrius Andrade. In January of 2022, two different purse bids were ordered. However, Andrade has decided to move up to the super middleweight division and fight Zach Parker on May 21 for the WBO Interim title at 168 pounds. WBO could elevate a proposed Alimkhanuly – Dingum contest for the full WBO middleweight title.
The sanctioning body subsequently ordered Alimkhanuly to face number four ranked Esquiva Falcao and number one ranked Jaime Munguia. Falcao’s representatives stepped away from negotiations, and Munguia is in negotiations for a match against WBC middleweight champ Jermall Charlo. Annoyed by being turned down and bypassed, Alimkhanuly took to social media to voice his frustrations.
ARE MIDDLEWEIGHTS RUNNING SCARED?
With Andrade, Falcao, and Munguia saying “no thank you”, some will start to argue that Qazak Style is being avoided. That’s because Alimkhanuly is a highly skilled and versatile southpaw. He can pile up points and outbox you from the outside. He has also shown the ability to cut off the ring and break a fighter down. The mandatory challenger also carries power in both hands. He is a dangerous opponent for anyone in the middleweight division.
Those assets are why it seems fighters are turning a blind eye to him. But hungry to succeed, Alimkhauly is determined to be the now and future at 160. He is on a mission to take over, whether folks want to fight him or not.
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
