By Brian Webber: Newly crowned WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly’s management at Top Rank has reportedly contacted the promoter of undefeated fringe contender Hamzah Sheeraz for a fight in November.
If the fight does go ahead, it will be the first defense for the 29-year-old Janibek (12-0, 8 KOs) after the World Boxing Organization elevated him from interim WBO 160-pound champion to full champion after the previous fight. Belt holder Demetrius Andrade opted to vacate and move up to 168.
The 23-year-old Sheeraz (16-0, 12 KOs) is ranked No. 11 by the WBO but has fought unnamed opponents for virtually his entire career.
The only recognizable opponent Sheerez has faced is welterweight Bradley Skeete, who moved up in weight last year to challenge him for his WBO European light welterweight belt.
Although Skeete was hulking and outmatched in terms of power and hand speed, he lasted into the ninth round before Sheerez defeated him.
“It is heard that Janibek Alimkhanuly’s team wants the Kazakh’s first WBO World Championship defense to be against Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz,” said JuliusJulianis.
US boxing fans are likely unfamiliar with Sheerez, so they won’t be excited about the prospects of Janibek fighting him.
For Top Rank to be doing this matchup suggests that they will try to make Janibek a big name first in the UK before going to work on trying to do that in the US.
2016 Olympian Janibek has looked good in his last three fights, stopping Danny Dignuum, Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam and Rob Brant.
Despite having Gennadiy Golovkin-level punching power and an entertaining fighting style, it will be difficult for Janibek to become a star all over the world because he will be avoided like the plague in the same way that GGG was early in his career. race.
What Top Rank should do is have Janibek fight five to six times a year if they can get him dates so the US boxing public can see him.
Even if Janibek faces weak opposition like Jermall has been doing for years, he could gain a huge following in the United States. If he only fights twice a year, he’ll probably still be an obscure fighter that only hardcore fans are aware of, which is the case now.
