Janibek Alimkhanuly targets WBO title to reach Canelo Alvarez

Janibek Alimkhanuly has expressed his ambition to secure the vacant WBO super middleweight title as a stepping stone toward a unification bout with Canelo Alvarez. Alimkhanuly stated that winning the belt will not be sufficient; he believes he must deliver a dominant knockout performance to force the matchup with Alvarez.

While Alimkhanuly targets the WBO title, top contender Diego Pacheco appears to be taking a different path. Rather than pursuing an immediate clash with Alimkhanuly for the vacant championship, Pacheco is set to face Darius Fulghum on November 14 in Los Angeles.

Pacheco, currently ranked No. 2 by the WBO, has a history of bypassing high-stakes eliminators and title negotiations. His decision to fight Fulghum instead of pursuing the vacant title against Alimkhanuly suggests his team is not currently prioritizing the immediate championship route offered by the WBO rankings.