Janibek-Mikhailovich Unified Title Fight Set For October 4 In Australia
By Matthew Brown
09/18/2024

The highly anticipated middleweight title bout between Kazakhstan’s Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly and New Zealand’s unbeaten Andrei Mikhailovich has finally found a new date and venue. Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs), the reigning IBF and WBO Middleweight Champion, will defend his belts against Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) on Friday, October 4, at The Star in Sydney, Australia.
This action-packed event will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. and will be available on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports in Australia. Boxing fans worldwide are eager to see if the trash talk exchanged between the two undefeated fighters will live up to the hype inside the ring.
The bout was originally set to take place on July 13 as the headliner of a Top Rank on ESPN show in Las Vegas. However, the fight was called off when Alimkhanuly was hospitalized due to dehydration the night before, reportedly caused by a “bad weight cut,” according to Brunch Boxing. This led the IBF to order the fight to purse bid, which was narrowly won by No Limit Boxing for $351,000—just $1,000 more than Top Rank’s bid.
Following the July cancellation, there was speculation about whether Alimkhanuly would remain in the middleweight division. Top Rank encouraged the Kazakh star to move up to super middleweight, where bigger paydays and higher-profile matchups awaited him. However, Alimkhanuly was firm in his decision to stay at 160 pounds, stating his ambition to become the undisputed middleweight champion.
In the lead-up to the rescheduled bout, tensions between the two fighters have escalated, with both men trading verbal jabs. Alimkhanuly dismissed Mikhailovich as a threat, confidently predicting an early knockout. “Everyone knows and understands that he is easy work for me. I will knock him out very quickly!” Alimkhanuly boasted.
Mikhailovich, not one to back down, fired back with a sharp retort. “I know that he doesn’t respect me. It’s why I look forward to taking absolutely everything from him,” said the New Zealand challenger, hinting at his desire to shock the world and strip Alimkhanuly of his middleweight crowns.
Though there were discussions of placing the bout on the October 19 PBC on Prime card—headlined by Tim Tszyu’s IBF Junior Middleweight Title defense against Bakhram Murtazaliev—No Limit Boxing, which also promotes Tszyu, opted to schedule the fight in Sydney under its own banner. The organization’s strong working relationship with PBC and strategic ties to the Australian market made The Star a fitting venue for the rescheduled clash.
With both men undefeated and plenty of animosity between them, this October 4 title fight promises to be a thrilling spectacle. Can Mikhailovich prove his worth on the world stage and dethrone Alimkhanuly, or will the Kazakh champion further cement his dominance at 160 pounds? Boxing fans won’t have to wait long to find out.
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