Janibek Alimkhanuly not solely made it to the dimensions this time, however comfortably made weight.
The unified 160-pound titlist was 159 ½ kilos, whereas IBF obligatory challenger Andrei Mikhailovich was 159.9 kilos. Their bout headlines an ESPN+ present this Friday at The Star in Sydney, Australia.
Each fighters nonetheless need to adjust to IBF second-day rehydration examine, the place they need to weigh not more than 170 kilos. IBF guidelines name for title battle and elimination bout members to weigh not more than 10 kilos above the contracted restrict in the course of the battle day weigh-in.
Kazakhstan’s Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 knockouts) holds the IBF WBO titles. Nevertheless, New Zealand’s Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) declined to problem for the WBO title and is just eligible to win the IBF strap.
Alimkhanuly will retain each titles if he wins. A loss will see Mikhailovich take dwelling the IBF title, whereas the WBO belt can be vacant.
Alimkhanuly-Mikhailovich was beforehand as a result of happen on July 13 in Las Vegas. The battle was canceled previous to the pre-fight weigh-in when Alimkhanuly was hospitalized as a result of dehydration.
Mikhailovich was left with no battle in consequence. Alimkhanuly was subsequently summoned by the WBO—whose title he additionally holds—to offer medical proof of what led to his dehydration and whether or not he was match to renew his reign.
In the meantime, the IBF intervened and put the battle again on the desk. The matter offered an epic second for the #PurseBidHeads faction of the game. No Restrict Boxing, Mikhailovich’s promoter, outbid Prime Rank by a mere $1,000 ($351,000 to $350,000) to win the rights to the battle on Sept. 3.
Alimkhanuly makes an attempt his fourth total title protection and first of the IBF belt. He knocked out unbeaten Vincent Gualtieri within the sixth-round knockout of their IBF/WBO unification bout final Oct. 14 in Rosenberg, Texas.
Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) enters his first profession title battle. The timing means he fights for one belt as a substitute of two, although it was theorized that the tactic was intentional this time. Unified titlists are spared same-day weight-checks below IBF guidelines, however solely when a couple of title is at stake. That’s not the case right here, which left Alimkhanuly and Mikhailovich sure to IBF guidelines to the letter of the regulation.
