Key points:
- Janibek Alimkhanuly says winning the vacant WBO super middleweight title is only step one of a plan to unify with Canelo Alvarez
- Hamzah Sheeraz vacated the belt shortly after Queensberry won the purse bid for their ordered fight
- Diego Pacheco and Jacob Bank are among the leading candidates for the vacant title
- Canelo has never let a mandatory or an interim belt dictate his schedule, making the eventual unification far from guaranteed
Janibek Alimkhanuly’s already three fights ahead of himself. Win the vacant WBO title, look spectacular doing it, then go get Canelo. Simple enough on paper.
“Everyone knows I’m not interested in the money. I’m ready! I’m also ready to see the news that he’s vacating the title. I just need that title. Then I have to unify with Canelo. That’s it!” Janibek posted on X, hours after Hamzah Sheeraz vacated rather than face him.
Winning the belt is the easy bit – convincing anyone it matters is the actual job
Diego Pacheco and Jacob Bank sit among the frontrunners for the vacant strap. Pacheco specifically would make Janibek prove his power carries up from 160 – a bigger, longer super middleweight with nothing to lose against a champion still finding his feet in the division.
Canelo’s never fought to a mandatory’s schedule in his life
David Benavidez had an interim belt, genuine public support, and years of pressure behind him. None of it moved Canelo an inch. Janibek’s got a dangerous southpaw style and heavy hands, but nothing close to Benavidez’s box office pull in America – which makes him a serious physical risk for very little of the money Canelo’s used to commanding.