Janibek Alimkhanuly Frustrated with Lack of Middleweight Unification Fights
WBO middleweight champion Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (12-0, 8KO), after witnessing Claressa Shields claim undisputed over Savannah Marshall, immediately took to social media to vent his frustration.
Alimkhanuly defeated Danny Dignum for the interim title on May 21. The WBO would elevate Alimkhanuly to full champion not long after Demetrius Andrade vacated and moved up. Qazaq Style has been extremely vocal about wanting to unify with WBC champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22KO). Unfortunately, he has not received any response.
ALIMKHANULY WILL CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR A UNIFICATION
The WBO champion will be making the first defense of the title against #14 ranked Denzel Bentley (17-1-1, 14KO) on November 12. If victorious, he won’t be able to make an immediate unification, as Charlo and unified champion Gennady Golovkin (42-2-1, 37KO) won’t be available for quite some time.
Charlo suffered a back injury, causing his fifth title defense against Maciej Sulecki to be postponed. In addition, fellow countryman Golovkin, who unified with former WBA champion Ryota Murata in April, is going to be busy with IBF mandatory Esquiva Falcao. WBA Regular champion Erislandy Lara will then be waiting to take on the winner of that bout.
The eager WBO champion has been wanting to land a fight with a top fighter in the division. With the way things are beginning to unfold, he could be waiting for that elusive unification fight until late 2023.
By: Garrisson Bland
