WBO orders Hamzah Sheeraz to defend title against Janibek Alimkhanuly

The WBO has ordered WBO super-middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz to defend his title against mandatory challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly. The two fighters have been given a 20-day window to reach an agreement before the bout is moved to purse bids.

Alimkhanuly, an undefeated fighter with a 17-0 record, was installed as the mandatory challenger following a suspension. He previously held unified IBF and WBO middleweight titles but was stripped of his IBF belt after testing positive for meldonium. The WBO allowed him to vacate his middleweight title and move to the 168-pound division as the number two contender.

Following the announcement, Alimkhanuly expressed ambitions beyond the Sheeraz fight, stating his intention to eventually unify titles with Canelo Alvarez. However, Sheeraz’s team may seek to bypass the mandatory defense to pursue more lucrative unification bouts against the winner of the upcoming Canelo Alvarez versus Christian Mbilli fight.