Queensberry Promotions Wins Purse Bid for Hamzah Sheeraz-Janibek Alimkhanuly Bout
Queensberry Promotions has won the purse bid for the WBO super middleweight championship bout between Hamzah Sheeraz and Janibek Alimkhanuly.
The promotion, which represents Sheeraz, submitted a winning bid of $1,001,809. Alimkhanuly’s promoter Top Rank, meanwhile, bid $820,000.
Queensberry proposed November 28 or December 5 for the fight. London, Birmingham or New York could host the championship showdown.
The purse split will favor Sheeraz by a 75-25 margin. As the reigning champion, Sheeraz will receive the larger share.
The matchup carries plenty of history between the two fighters.
The WBO previously ordered Sheeraz to face Alimkhanuly in 2024. At the time, Alimkhanuly held the middleweight championship.
Sheeraz stood as the mandatory challenger for Alimkhanuly's title. However, Sheeraz pulled out of the bout and passed on his mandatory title opportunity.
Now, the roles have completely reversed.
Sheeraz enters this fight as the champion, but this time at super middleweight. Alimkhanuly will challenge him for the belt.
The Kazakh southpaw now has a chance to take the title from the fighter who previously stepped away from their scheduled meeting. The bout would be Alimkhanuly’s first bout since he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in December.
For Sheeraz, the stakes are especially clear. He cannot simply walk away from the fight without consequences.
If Sheeraz refuses the bout this time, he stands to lose his championship.
Queensberry's winning bid now puts the fight in the hands of the promotion. The proposed dates and location still need to be finalized.
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