Janibek Alimkhanuly sees Steven Butler as the final stepping stone to big-time fights against fellow champions.
Janibek Alimkhanuly says he’s just getting started.
The 30-year-old middleweight titleholder is scheduled to make the second defense of his alphabet belt against heavy underdog Steven Butler on Saturday at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California (ESPN, ESPN+).
If he wins, he’ll then target the other two titleholders: Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara. (The fourth title is vacant.)
And he knows he would have to be at his best to beat such talented, experienced champions. That’s why he has put more emphasis on conditioning after what he thought was a so-so performance in his last fight, a unanimous decision over talented Denzel Bentley in November.
“I got a new conditioning coach because I understand that it will help me grow,” Alimkhanuly said during the final news conference before the fight. “If you keep doing the same things, then you will stay in the same place. I wanted to grow. I wanted to unify. I wanted to fight Jermall Charlo. I wanted to fight Erislandy Lara.
“In order to do that, I knew that I had to make changes.”
That could be bad news for Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs), a 27-year-old Canadian who was stopped by Ryota Murata in five rounds in his only big fight.
He lost by knockout to obscure Jose de Jesus Macias in his next fight but has won his last four, giving him some momentum going into his meeting with Alimkhanuly(13-0, 8 KOs) . Still, the Kazakhstani fighter is about a 20-1 favorite.
“I’m 100 percent ready,” Butler said. “I have a lot of respect for Janibek for giving me the opportunity, but he’ll be making a big mistake if he tries to think past me. I want to knock him out. I want the belt. That’s it. …
“I’ve learned a lot. I started boxing when I was 11 years old. I’m 27 now. So, I have a lot experience behind me. When I put it all together on Saturday night, I’m going to shock the world.”
Alimkhanuly admires Butler’s confidence but suggested the challenger is the one who will be shocked.
“As a fighter, I really respect him because he says what he thinks,” the former amateur world champion said. “But I’m going to show him that not only will he not be able to knock me out, he won’t even be able to touch me.”
Then it will be bigger and better things for Alimkhanuly.
Janibek Alimkhanuly sees Steven Butler as the final stepping stone to big-time fights against fellow champions.
Janibek Alimkhanuly says he’s just getting started.
The 30-year-old middleweight titleholder is scheduled to make the second defense of his alphabet belt against heavy underdog Steven Butler on Saturday at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California (ESPN, ESPN+).
If he wins, he’ll then target the other two titleholders: Jermall Charlo and Erislandy Lara. (The fourth title is vacant.)
And he knows he would have to be at his best to beat such talented, experienced champions. That’s why he has put more emphasis on conditioning after what he thought was a so-so performance in his last fight, a unanimous decision over talented Denzel Bentley in November.
“I got a new conditioning coach because I understand that it will help me grow,” Alimkhanuly said during the final news conference before the fight. “If you keep doing the same things, then you will stay in the same place. I wanted to grow. I wanted to unify. I wanted to fight Jermall Charlo. I wanted to fight Erislandy Lara.
“In order to do that, I knew that I had to make changes.”
That could be bad news for Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs), a 27-year-old Canadian who was stopped by Ryota Murata in five rounds in his only big fight.
He lost by knockout to obscure Jose de Jesus Macias in his next fight but has won his last four, giving him some momentum going into his meeting with Alimkhanuly(13-0, 8 KOs) . Still, the Kazakhstani fighter is about a 20-1 favorite.
“I’m 100 percent ready,” Butler said. “I have a lot of respect for Janibek for giving me the opportunity, but he’ll be making a big mistake if he tries to think past me. I want to knock him out. I want the belt. That’s it. …
“I’ve learned a lot. I started boxing when I was 11 years old. I’m 27 now. So, I have a lot experience behind me. When I put it all together on Saturday night, I’m going to shock the world.”
Alimkhanuly admires Butler’s confidence but suggested the challenger is the one who will be shocked.
“As a fighter, I really respect him because he says what he thinks,” the former amateur world champion said. “But I’m going to show him that not only will he not be able to knock me out, he won’t even be able to touch me.”
Then it will be bigger and better things for Alimkhanuly.
Fight Week: Rolando Romero and Janibek Alimkhanuly are scheduled to take part in separate title fights Saturday.
FIGHT WEEK
Rolando Romero, coming off his loss to Gervonta Davis, will return against Ismael Barroso at 140 pounds. Also, Janibek Alimkhanuly will defend his 160-pound title against Steven Butler.
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: WBA title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Rances Barthelemy vs. Omar Juarez, junior welterweights; Batyr Akhmedov vs. Kenneth Sims Jr., junior welterweight
Prediction: Romero KO 8
Background: Romero is coming off the first loss of his career, a sixth-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in a 135-pound bout in May of last year. The 27-year-old from Las Vegas was competitive with the rising star until the stoppage, which helped ease the disappointment to some degree and didn’t damage his confidence. Also, he was having problems making the lightweight limit, which is why he’s making his debut as a full-fledged 140-pounder in this fight. Romero is a solid boxer but is known more for his physical strength and punching power, although we’ll see whether it translates to bigger fighters at junior welterweight. He had been scheduled to challenge WBA beltholder Alberto Puello but Puello was removed from the card after testing positive for a banned substance. He was replaced with the relatively obscure Barroso, a 40-year-old Venezuelan who once fought for a major title (a loss to 135-pounder Anthony Crolla in 2015). He lost back-to-back fights in 2018 but has won four fights since, including a fourth-round knockout of journeyman Fernando David Saucedo last August. Both Puello and Barroso are left-handed, which will have helped Romero in his preparation. The Romero-Barroso fight reportedly is for the full WBA title, an indication that Puello has been stripped.
JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY (13-0, 8 KOS)
VS. STEVEN BUTLER (32-3-1, 26 KOS)
When: Saturday, May 13
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Stockton Arena, Stockton, California
TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Jason Moloney vs. Vincent Astrolabio, bantamweights (for vacant WBO title); Robson Conceicao vs. Nicolas Polanco, junior lightweights
Prediction: Alimkhanuly UD
Background: Alimkhanuly was elevated from “interim” to full WBO 160-pound beltholder when Demetrius Andrade vacated the title last August and successfully defended once, outpointing Denzel Bentley in competitive fight in November. The one-time amateur world champion from Kazakhstan is a slick boxer with heavy hands. The decision against Bentley ended Alimkhanuly’s streak of knockouts at seven. Alimkhanuly was expected to defend against mandatory challenger Liam Smith but the Englishman was obligated to face Chris Eubank Jr. in a rematch first, which makes the fight on Saturday a voluntary defense. Butler’s career seemed to be in jeopardy when he was stopped by future titleholder Ryota Murata and journeyman Jose de Jesus Macias in back-to-back fights in 2019 and 2021. However, the Montrealer stepped away for a year and then reeled off four consecutive victories over second-tier opponents, including a unanimous decision over Joshua Conley in December. He’s a solid boxer with decent power, as his knockout ratio indicates. Butler is ranked No. 6 by the WBO.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
Kim Clavel vs. Naomi Arellano Reyes, flyweights, Laval, Quebec (FITE)
SATURDAY
Joseph Maigwisya vs. Luca Antonio Cinqueoncie, light heavyweights, Offenback, Germany (DAZN)
John Riel Casimero vs. Fillipus Nghitumbwa, junior featherweights, Paranaque City, Philippines (FITE)
Alex Vargas vs. Mauro Godoy, junior welterweights, Huntington, New York (StarBoxing TV)
Jadier Harrera vs. Jeff Ofori, junior lightweights, Dubai, UAE (FITE)
KSI vs. Joe Fournier, cruiserweights, London (pay-per-view)
Fight Week: Rolando Romero and Janibek Alimkhanuly are scheduled to take part in separate title fights Saturday.
FIGHT WEEK
Rolando Romero, coming off his loss to Gervonta Davis, will return against Ismael Barroso at 140 pounds. Also, Janibek Alimkhanuly will defend his 160-pound title against Steven Butler.
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: WBA title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Rances Barthelemy vs. Omar Juarez, junior welterweights; Batyr Akhmedov vs. Kenneth Sims Jr., junior welterweight
Prediction: Romero KO 8
Background: Romero is coming off the first loss of his career, a sixth-round knockout against Gervonta Davis in a 135-pound bout in May of last year. The 27-year-old from Las Vegas was competitive with the rising star until the stoppage, which helped ease the disappointment to some degree and didn’t damage his confidence. Also, he was having problems making the lightweight limit, which is why he’s making his debut as a full-fledged 140-pounder in this fight. Romero is a solid boxer but is known more for his physical strength and punching power, although we’ll see whether it translates to bigger fighters at junior welterweight. He had been scheduled to challenge WBA beltholder Alberto Puello but Puello was removed from the card after testing positive for a banned substance. He was replaced with the relatively obscure Barroso, a 40-year-old Venezuelan who once fought for a major title (a loss to 135-pounder Anthony Crolla in 2015). He lost back-to-back fights in 2018 but has won four fights since, including a fourth-round knockout of journeyman Fernando David Saucedo last August. Both Puello and Barroso are left-handed, which will have helped Romero in his preparation. The Romero-Barroso fight reportedly is for the full WBA title, an indication that Puello has been stripped.
JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY (13-0, 8 KOS)
VS. STEVEN BUTLER (32-3-1, 26 KOS)
When: Saturday, May 13
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Stockton Arena, Stockton, California
TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Jason Moloney vs. Vincent Astrolabio, bantamweights (for vacant WBO title); Robson Conceicao vs. Nicolas Polanco, junior lightweights
Prediction: Alimkhanuly UD
Background: Alimkhanuly was elevated from “interim” to full WBO 160-pound beltholder when Demetrius Andrade vacated the title last August and successfully defended once, outpointing Denzel Bentley in competitive fight in November. The one-time amateur world champion from Kazakhstan is a slick boxer with heavy hands. The decision against Bentley ended Alimkhanuly’s streak of knockouts at seven. Alimkhanuly was expected to defend against mandatory challenger Liam Smith but the Englishman was obligated to face Chris Eubank Jr. in a rematch first, which makes the fight on Saturday a voluntary defense. Butler’s career seemed to be in jeopardy when he was stopped by future titleholder Ryota Murata and journeyman Jose de Jesus Macias in back-to-back fights in 2019 and 2021. However, the Montrealer stepped away for a year and then reeled off four consecutive victories over second-tier opponents, including a unanimous decision over Joshua Conley in December. He’s a solid boxer with decent power, as his knockout ratio indicates. Butler is ranked No. 6 by the WBO.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
Kim Clavel vs. Naomi Arellano Reyes, flyweights, Laval, Quebec (FITE)
SATURDAY
Joseph Maigwisya vs. Luca Antonio Cinqueoncie, light heavyweights, Offenback, Germany (DAZN)
John Riel Casimero vs. Fillipus Nghitumbwa, junior featherweights, Paranaque City, Philippines (FITE)
Alex Vargas vs. Mauro Godoy, junior welterweights, Huntington, New York (StarBoxing TV)
Jadier Harrera vs. Jeff Ofori, junior lightweights, Dubai, UAE (FITE)
KSI vs. Joe Fournier, cruiserweights, London (pay-per-view)
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …
The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.
IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.
And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.
Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.
The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.
And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.
That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.
What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.
I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.
BAD
There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.
I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.
Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.
The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.
The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.
The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.
To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.
WORSE
It’s always painful to write this.
We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.
In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.
My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.
Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.
I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …
Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …
The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.
IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.
And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.
Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.
The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.
And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.
That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.
What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.
I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.
BAD
There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.
I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.
Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.
The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.
The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.
The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.
To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.
WORSE
It’s always painful to write this.
We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.
In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.
My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.
Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.
I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …
Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.
Janibek Alimkhanuly survived a spirited challenge from Denzel Bentley to win retain his middleweight title Saturday in Las Vegas.
Janibek Alimkhanuly didn’t look like the future of the middleweight division but he got the job done Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The highly hyped WBO titleholder received a spirited challenge from heavy underdog Denzel Bentley but emerged with a unanimous-decision victory, his belt and his perfect record.
The official scores were 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112. Boxing Junkie also scored it 116-112 for the 29-year-old Kazakh, eight rounds to four.
Alimkhanuly (13-0, 9 KOs) got off to a strong start, outworking a skittish Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) over the first four rounds. It seemed as if Alimkhanuly might be on his way to seventh consecutive knockout.
Bentley had different ideas. The Londoner picked up his pace in Round 5 and didn’t let up the rest of the way, which turned a one-sided fight into a competitive one.
The fighters played give-and-take from Round 5 through Round 10, with both landing eye-catching shots and neither getting seriously hurt in the process in spite of Alimkhanuly’s well-publicized punching power.
Then, in the final two rounds, the champion asserted himself to pull away from Bentley. He landed some of his hardest punches in those rounds, although the challenger remained on his feet.
In the end, Alimkhanuly survived the toughest test of his career and gained valuable experience, which will serve him going forward. However, he definitely didn’t scare the other top 160-pounders.
The WBO’s No. 1 challenger, Jaime Munguia, might be next for Alimkhanuly. The sanctioning body has ordered that fight.
Is the Kazakh ready for that challenge? That question can’t be answered based on his so-so performance Saturday night.
In preliminary bouts, WBA strawweight Seniesa Estrada of Los Angeles outworked Jazmin Gala Villarina (6-2-2, 1 KO) of Argentina to win a shutout 10-round decision. All three judges scored it 100-90.
Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) hadn’t fought 11 months before Saturday.
Lightweight prospect Raymond Muratalla (16-0, 13 KOs) of Fontana, California, stopped Miguel Contreras (12-2-1, 6 KOs) of Bakersfield, California, at 2:23 of Round 6 of a scheduled eight-rounder.
And lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas of Oxnard, California, stopped Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) of South Bend, Indiana, with a single left hook 47 second into the second round of a scheduled four-round light.
Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) is the 18-year-old son of former two-division titleholder Fernando Vargas.
Janibek Alimkhanuly survived a spirited challenge from Denzel Bentley to win retain his middleweight title Saturday in Las Vegas.
Janibek Alimkhanuly didn’t look like the future of the middleweight division but he got the job done Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The highly hyped WBO titleholder received a spirited challenge from heavy underdog Denzel Bentley but emerged with a unanimous-decision victory, his belt and his perfect record.
The official scores were 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112. Boxing Junkie also scored it 116-112 for the 29-year-old Kazakh, eight rounds to four.
Alimkhanuly (13-0, 9 KOs) got off to a strong start, outworking a skittish Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) over the first four rounds. It seemed as if Alimkhanuly might be on his way to seventh consecutive knockout.
Bentley had different ideas. The Londoner picked up his pace in Round 5 and didn’t let up the rest of the way, which turned a one-sided fight into a competitive one.
The fighters played give-and-take from Round 5 through Round 10, with both landing eye-catching shots and neither getting seriously hurt in the process in spite of Alimkhanuly’s well-publicized punching power.
Then, in the final two rounds, the champion asserted himself to pull away from Bentley. He landed some of his hardest punches in those rounds, although the challenger remained on his feet.
In the end, Alimkhanuly survived the toughest test of his career and gained valuable experience, which will serve him going forward. However, he definitely didn’t scare the other top 160-pounders.
The WBO’s No. 1 challenger, Jaime Munguia, might be next for Alimkhanuly. The sanctioning body has ordered that fight.
Is the Kazakh ready for that challenge? That question can’t be answered based on his so-so performance Saturday night.
In preliminary bouts, WBA strawweight Seniesa Estrada of Los Angeles outworked Jazmin Gala Villarina (6-2-2, 1 KO) of Argentina to win a shutout 10-round decision. All three judges scored it 100-90.
Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) hadn’t fought 11 months before Saturday.
Lightweight prospect Raymond Muratalla (16-0, 13 KOs) of Fontana, California, stopped Miguel Contreras (12-2-1, 6 KOs) of Bakersfield, California, at 2:23 of Round 6 of a scheduled eight-rounder.
And lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas of Oxnard, California, stopped Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) of South Bend, Indiana, with a single left hook 47 second into the second round of a scheduled four-round light.
Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) is the 18-year-old son of former two-division titleholder Fernando Vargas.
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Jazmin Gala Villarino, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA title)
Prediction: Alimkhanuly KO 10
Background: Alimkhanuly, 29, is a talented 2013 amateur world champion and 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan who has been fast tracked as a pro. The Southern California-based southpaw won the WBO’s “interim” title in his last fight, a second-round knockout of previously unbeaten Danny Dignum in May. He was upgraded to full champion in August. He also stopped veterans Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam last year, which set up the fight with Dignum. Bentley is a 27-year-old boxer-puncher from London. He was stopped in three rounds by fellow 160-pound contender Felix Cash in April of last year but he bounced back to win three in a row, including a fourth-round knockout of Marcus Morrison in September, to earn a shot at Alimkhanuly’s title. Also on the card, Seniesa Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles is scheduled to defend her strawweight title against Jazim Gala Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO) of Argentina.
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Jazmin Gala Villarino, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA title)
Prediction: Alimkhanuly KO 10
Background: Alimkhanuly, 29, is a talented 2013 amateur world champion and 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan who has been fast tracked as a pro. The Southern California-based southpaw won the WBO’s “interim” title in his last fight, a second-round knockout of previously unbeaten Danny Dignum in May. He was upgraded to full champion in August. He also stopped veterans Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam last year, which set up the fight with Dignum. Bentley is a 27-year-old boxer-puncher from London. He was stopped in three rounds by fellow 160-pound contender Felix Cash in April of last year but he bounced back to win three in a row, including a fourth-round knockout of Marcus Morrison in September, to earn a shot at Alimkhanuly’s title. Also on the card, Seniesa Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles is scheduled to defend her strawweight title against Jazim Gala Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO) of Argentina.
