Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly is reportedly close to finalizing a springtime title defense against England’s Shakiel Thompson. The matchup could land in April or May and would mark Janibek’s long-anticipated return to fight in his home country of Kazakhstan. Although it’s not the high-profile opponent Janibek initially hoped for, the division’s top names haven’t shown much willingness to face the southpaw.
Thompson, ranked No. 9 by the WBO, will first take a tune-up fight on February 7 in Sheffield, England. Having mostly competed against lower-tier opposition, the 27-year-old is about to face a major step up in class by challenging Janibek for his WBO and IBF belts. Critics note that Thompson’s record lacks standout names, which can be attributed to the decline in middleweight depth following the era of Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Janibek last fought in October, stopping Andrei Mikhailovich in the ninth round, still, some think that Kazakh Olympian carried his overmatched opponent before deciding to close the show.
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