No Limit Boxing Outbids Top Rank To Claim Rights To Janibek-Mikhailovich IBF/WBO Title Fight

Janibek Alimkhanuly had words for his promoter after he learned the fate of his next title defense.

No Limit Boxing edged Top Rank by $1,000 in an IBF purse bid hearing for Alimkhanuly’s mandatory title defense versus Andrei Mikhailovich. Tuesday’s hearing saw No Limit, Mikhailovich’s promoter in Australia, post $351,000, edging Top Rank’s bid of $350,000.

Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 knockouts) was stunned upon learning the result.

“I have no words,” The Ring’s No. 1-rated middleweight exclaimed on X. “What is this @toprank @BobArum @CarlMoretti?”

I have no words! What is this @trboxing @BobArum @CarlMoretti ? https://t.co/8A7vqpaSel

— Janibek Alimkhanuly (@qazaqstyle) September 3, 2024

Alimkhanuly is due to make a plump $228,150 from his 65-percent of the winning bid as the defending titlist. The remaining 35-percent ($122,850) goes to Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) as the mandatory challenger.

The bout was previously due to headline a July 13 ESPN show at Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was canceled prior to the pre-fight weigh-in when Alimkhanuly was hospitalized due to dehydration.

Mikhailovich was left without a fight as a result. Alimkhanuly was subsequently summoned by the WBO—whose title he also holds—to provide medical proof of what led to his dehydration and whether he was fit to resume his reign.

He is now pressed with a choice to make, given the low-end guaranteed salary for his services.

Alimkhanuly has not fought since he unified the IBF and WBO middleweight titles. The feat came in a one-sided, sixth-round stoppage of Vincenzo Gualtieri , who was 21-0-1 at the time of their Oct. 14 unification bout. Alimkhanuly won the IBF belt and defended his WBO title for the third time.

Mikhailovich will enter his first career title fight, one way or another. It will come either versus Alimkhanuly or for the vacant IBF middleweight title against an assigned challenger.

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