Zhanibek Alimkhanuly is ready to defend his middleweight titles

By: Sean Crose

It must be said that the middleweight division is not what it used to be, at least not when it comes to capturing the public’s attention. Some of the biggest names in boxing history have been champions of the middleweight division. Bob Fitzsimons, Harry Greb, Tony Zale, Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler, and Gennady Golovkin have brought prestige and fame to the middleweight division. While the name Zhanibek Alimkhanuly may not carry the same weight as the aforementioned names, there is no denying that the man has found success in the middleweight division. With a record of 15-0, the 31-year-old Kazakh warrior currently holds the WBO and IBF divisional titles.

Alimkhanuly will put those belts, along with his undefeated record, on the line Saturday night in Las Vegas when he takes on Andrei Mikhailovich (21-0) in a scheduled 12-round bout. Sure, much of the attention this weekend is focused on Jaron “Boots” Ennis’s welterweight title defense in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t mean Alimkhanuly and Mikhailovich don’t get a chance to shine in front of the ESPN+ cameras. This is the middleweight division, after all, a realm waiting for its next big name to make his presence felt. That’s no small feat.

But dominating the division is no easy feat. Still, while Alimkhanuly hasn’t faced any big names, he’s certainly impressed. Utilizing a southpaw low jab and good footwork, the man has a left that can do serious damage. Alimkhanuly also does a good job of throwing combination punches. He’s stopped 10 of 15 opponents at range, after all. To win this weekend, Mikhaiovich will need to keep the defending champion from landing good shots. But that’s where the problem lies, as Alimkhanuly is known for finding ways to land hard hits on his opponents, especially when it comes to his vicious uppercut.