Janibek Alimkhanuly and Hamzah Sheeraz could have a little bit extra time to iron out their variations.
The Ring has realized {that a} second extension was granted for the ordered WBO middleweight title. A request was made in the course of the annual WBO Conference to maneuver the already modified Nov. 4 deadline. The Puerto Rico-headquartered sanctioning physique agreed to take action however this time just for one other three days.
A deal should now be reached by Thursday, Nov. 7 at 4:00 p.m. AST to keep away from a handbag bid listening to.
Kazakhstan’s Alimkhanuly (16-0, 11 knockouts)—the unified IBF/WBO middleweight titlist—is promoted by Prime Rank and managed by Egis Klimas. England’s Sheeraz (21-0, 17 KOs) is promoted by Queensberry Promotions. The 2 are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively by The Ring, which might put its vacant championship at stake.
That’s IF the battle occurs.
A number of sources have knowledgeable The Ring that one other title battle is in play. Rumors have swirled that Sheeraz may as an alternative face WBC titlist Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KOs), The Ring’s No. 3-rated middleweight.
Sheeraz is the No. 1-rated contender for each the WBC and WBO, although such a battle has but to evolve past unfastened discuss.
Sheeraz was additionally beforehand linked to an all-British middleweight affair versus Denzel Bentley (20-3-1, 17 KOs). The battle was even ordered by the EBU—whose middleweight title Sheeraz lately received. It will have additionally pitted the highest two WBO contenders versus each other.
These plans went up in flames, nonetheless, when Alimkhanuly-Sheeraz was ordered by the WBO. It was formally put within the dust as soon as Bentley was confirmed to subsequent face countryman Brad Pauls (19-1-1, 11 KOs) on Dec. 7 at OVO Area Wembley in London.
For now, Alimkhanuly continues to be on the hook to make his second straight necessary protection amongst his two title reigns.
He lately defended his IBF middleweight title in a ninth-round stoppage of New Zealand’s Andrei Mikhailovich (21-1, 13 KOs). Their Oct. 4 conflict was ordered by the IBF and received by No Restrict Boxing by way of purse bid. Alimkhanuly was pressured to journey to Sydney, Australia consequently.
There was a dispute within the build-up and on battle night time over the precise stakes. Mikhailovich’s workforce requested to solely battle for the IBF belt in hopes to weaken Alimkhanuly by the use of committing to a same-day rehydration restrict. The plan failed miserably, as Alimkhanuly overwhelmed his necessary challenger.
Nevertheless, the WBO was upset in its Oct. 3 ruling being ignored the place the decision got here for its title to be at stake.
Alimkhanuly was subsequently despatched a Present Trigger discover to justify remaining champion. He’ll now need to subsequent face Sheeraz to take care of that standing, as a negotiation interval was first ordered on Oct. 8.
An extension was granted to Nov. 4 on the finish of the preliminary 15-day deadline. The timing allowed each events to plead their case in the course of the annual conference in P.R.
Sheeraz has stopped every of his final fifteen opponents in his speedy ascension via the ranks. The 25-year-old from Ilford, Essex has emerged as a favourite of the Riyadh Season circuit, which has housed his final two wins.
In his most up-to-date begin, Sheeraz halted countryman Tyler Denny (19-3-3, 1 KO) within the 2nd spherical to win the European (EBU) middleweight title. The bout got here as a part of Riyadh Season’s UK debut on Sept. 21 at Wembley Stadium in London.
