Janibek Alimkhanuly is moving up, and he has Canelo Alvarez in mind.
Hamzah Sheeraz vacated his WBO super-middleweight title this week rather than face Alimkhanuly, his mandatory challenger. Alimkhanuly posted on X ahead of the formal confirmation.
Everyone knows I’m not interested in the money. I’m ready! I’m also ready to see the news that he [Sheeraz] is vacating the title. I just need that title. Then I have to unify with Canelo. That’s it!
The WBO is expected to order a vacant title fight between Alimkhanuly, its top-rated contender, and No. 3 Jacob Bank of Denmark. Second-ranked Diego Pacheco is set to face Darius Fulghum on November 14.
Alimkhanuly is a former unified middleweight champion. He was stripped of his WBO and IBF middleweight titles after a failed drug test.
Sheeraz had been angling for Alvarez himself. That fight looked likely if Sheeraz got past Alimkhanuly and Alvarez won his next outing.
Alvarez challenges unbeaten WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is 36, has 68 professional fights and lost his undisputed crown to Terence Crawford last year.
