Middleweight Division Demise: Alimkhanuly vs Mikhailovich

What happened to boxing’s middleweight division?

For decades, the middleweight division boasted the best fighters in whatever era you care to name.

Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake La Motta ruled the first half of the 20th century, eventually yielding to Emile Griffith, Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Picking up the mantle in the last 25 years were worthy successors Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Roy Jones Jr., Kelly Pavlik, Sergio Martinez, and in recent years, Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.

Can you name the top five middleweights today?

The Alimkhanuly vs Mikhailovich title fight has run down a bumpy road getting to the ring. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

The middleweight division continues searching for a new star. Unified WBO and IBF middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan (15-0, 10 KOs) will defend his titles against undefeated Andrei Mikhailovich (21-0 13 KOs) on Friday morning, October 4, in Sydney, Australia.

The fight airs as part of a Top Rank card broadcast in the U.S. by ESPN+ starting at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT.

Hard core boxing fans (that’s you if you’re reading this on NY Fights) make it an event to wake up early or stay up late to see pound-for-pound unified, undisputed champion Naoya Inoue of Japan. But it’s doubtful more than a handful of people are even aware this fight is taking place, much less waking up for it.

Mikhailovich is a Russian-born fighter raised in New Zealand, making this a home fight. Alimkhanuly and Mikhailovich were scheduled to fight in Las Vegas in July. But Alimkhanuly fainted due to dehydration the week of the fight attempting to make weight. He was hospitalized, and the fight was canceled.

Mikhalovich had traveled thousands of miles for nothing, and he’s still salty about it, though reportedly Top Rank said it would pay him something, nevertheless.

How The Fight Got Made

In his last fight, Andrei Mikhailovich scored a first-round TKO win over Les Sherrington. Photo: No Limit Boxing

Alimkhanuly insisted it was a one-time issue, and the IBF re-ordered the fight. The promoters couldn’t make a deal voluntarily, so the fight went to purse bid. To everyone’s shock, No Limit won the purse bid with $351,000, beating Top Rank’s bid by just $1,000.

With No Limit in charge, it scheduled the bout just four weeks in advance. It’s now Alimkhanuly, the champion, traveling thousands of miles from Kazakhstan to Sydney, Australia, fighting in front of the challenger’s home fans.

For whatever reason, Alimkhanuly and his team traveled just a few days before Friday’s bout, adding to the intrigue over whether Alimkhanuly would make weight and be prepared. He did make weight at 156.9 pounds, and Milkhailovich at 159.9 pounds.

Just one of Alimkhanuly’s belts is at stake. Only Alimkhanuly’s IBF title is at stake because Mikhailovich opted not to fight for the WBO belt. The reason? The IBF requires participants in a title fight to weigh in on the day of the bout to meet a rehydration limit. Neither man can weigh over 10 pounds (or 7.5%, whichever is greater) above the 160-pound division limit.

It put Alimkhanuly on notice and controlled his ability to weight-drain and blow up to 180 pounds (or more) as he stepped into the ring. Per Fox Sports Australia sportscaster Ben Damon, both men made the weight limit. We have a fight in a matter of hours.

As a result, if Mikhailovich wins, the WBO belt will become vacant. If Alimkhanuly wins, he will remain the unified titleholder.

Alimkhanuly vs Mikhailovich Generates Bad Blood

The two middleweights have no love lost for each other, both vowing they will be victorious. Photo: Top Rank Boxing

Both fighters and their teams go into the bout thoroughly irritated with each other. Milkhailovich promised to “effing kill” Alimkhanuly, who said Friday “is gonna be a very hard day for you,” adding, “He’s trying to sell the fight, promoting the fight, which is good for both of us. I don’t have to do much. I’ll let him promote the fight, and I’ll do the job in the ring.”

Mikhailovich’s trainer Isaac Peach called Alimkhanuly and his manager Egis Klimas “a disgrace to boxing,” Klimas responded, “That’s in the past. We will face Friday, and we will see what happens.”

Although Mikhailovich is bitter about his opportunity to win a title in Las Vegas being robbed from him, he’s eager to get what he’s waited for.

“I’m happy. I’ve trained good, I feel good, I look good. I’m happy to be here,” said Mikhailovich. It’s Australia. It’s my backyard. I’m ready to roll. It’s my time. The king will have his coronation, as they say. Soon, the world will know who the hell I am, and I’m excited about that.”

Prediction: Alimkhanuly Prevails

Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly should prevail based on his experience and better opposition. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Milkhailovich’s record comes against minimal opposition, but he has some power and adequate skills to earn the right to challenge Alimkhanuly. In large part, though, it’s because of the demise of talent facing the middleweight division.

If Alimkhanuly suffers from making weight, or feels any fatigue from the last-minute travel to Australia, the scales will be tipped slightly more in the home fighter’s favor. As a five-to-one underdog, it’s worth a bet for entertainment purposes, but I’m not counting on an upset for Milkhailovich.

Alimkhanuly is still the class of the division until Hamzah Sheeraz of Great Britain proves he’s got the goods and defeats tougher opposition. Whether or not he wins in “Qazaq Style,” we see a decision win for Alimkhanuly. Fans in the U.S. can wake up and find out as they pour their coffee.

On The Aussie Undercard

In the co-main event, featherweight Mea Motu of New Zealand (19-0, 7 KOs) faces Shannon O’Connell of Australia (24-7-1, 12 KOs) in a scheduled eight-round fight. Motu already has a title fight on the books in three weeks. She is scheduled to challenge IBF/WBO World Super Bantamweight champion Elle Scotney on the Catterall vs. Prograis undercard.

Lightweight prospect Charlie Kazzi of Australia (6-0, 2 KOs) should not find himself tested against Lui Magaiva of Papua New Guinea (4-6, 1 KO). This fight is intended to introduce the 19-year-old Kazzi to a broader fan base.