WBO Suspends Middleweight Champion Janibek Alimkhanuly For One Year For Positive Drug Test, Does NOT Strip Title. Bentley-Saavedra Interim Title Bout Ordered
- Matthew Brown
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
02/20/2026
The World Boxing Organization has suspended its middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly for one year, retroactive to December 2, 2025, according to WBO President Gustavo Olivieri. Despite the suspension, Alimkhanuly will retain his status as champion.
In a formal notice issued by Olivieri, the WBO World Championship Committee confirmed that it unanimously resolved to suspend Alimkhanuly from participation in all boxing and exhibition events for a period of one year, effective retroactively as of December 2, 2025. The official written ruling outlining the full findings, terms, and conditions is expected to be published later today.
To preserve the integrity and activity of the middleweight division and safeguard the rights of ranked contenders, the Committee has authorized an interim championship bout between the WBO number one rated contender Denzel Bentley and number two rated contender Endry Saavedra.
Under the terms of the ruling, once his suspension expires, Alimkhanuly will be mandated to face the duly recognized interim champion for the immediate termination of the interim status. No intervening bouts will be permitted. Failure to comply could result in further action under WBO regulations.
The suspension stems from a positive test for the banned substance meldonium in the lead up to Alimkhanuly’s scheduled December 6 unification bout with WBA Middleweight Champion Erislandy Lara. That fight was set to co headline a PBC on Prime Video pay per view event at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
Following the adverse finding, Alimkhanuly was removed from the contest and replaced by Johan Gonzalez.
The sample in question was collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association on November 15 in California. Meldonium has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2016 and is not legally available in the United States.
When news of the positive test first surfaced, Alimkhanuly denied any wrongdoing and requested additional testing. He maintained that he has always competed clean and expressed confusion over the results.
“I have always supported clean sport you know this well,” Alimkhanuly said in a statement at the time. “I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don’t know what happened with the second test, so I requested a retest.”
The WBO subsequently issued a show cause notice requiring Alimkhanuly to demonstrate why he should not be found in violation of anti doping regulations. If found guilty, he faced the possibility of being stripped of his titles.
In late January, sources told Brunch Boxing that the positive drug test had been confirmed following analysis of the B sample.
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