The unified world middleweight title is on the line at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas this Saturday night, as Zhanibek Alimkhanuly defends the IBF and WBO crowns against Andrei Mikhailovich.
Top Rank promote Janibek vs Mikhailovich, and Sky Sports televise live in the UK. ESPN show the card in the USA.
Janibek (15-0, 10 KOs) was upgraded from interim WBO champion in 2022, and outscored Denzel Bentley in a competitive first defence.
After knocking out Steven Butler in two rounds, the Kazakh added the IBF title to his collection by stopping Vincenzo Gualtieri in six last October.
He now faces unbeaten New Zealander Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs), who fights outside of Australasia for the first time. Holder of the IBF Pan Pacific title, Mikhailovich has faced no-one near the class of Janibek, and as recently as April last year, he was dropped on the way to a fifth round stoppage of Edisson Saltarin. Mikhailovich was last seen halting Less Sherrington inside a round in April.
Prediction: This could well be a short night’s work for Janibek, with the visitor seemingly out of his depth. I think the champion can retain by stoppage in the first half of the bout.
Muratalla takes on Farmer
The chief support sees prospect vs veteran, as Raymond Muratalla (20-0, 16 KOs) meets former world champion, Tevin Farmer (33-5-1, 8 KOs) over ten rounds at lightweight.
When Raymond Muratalla made one of his biggest statements yet ⚠️#JanibekMikhailovich | JUL 13 | @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/IwSjvecmNy
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 9, 2024
Muratalla has halted four of his last five opponents, while although Farmer has won three on the spin since losing his IBF super featherweight title in 2020, it’s been at a much lower level than world level. I think Muratalla may be able to win this one via stoppage or retirement.
Villa faces Segawa
In the other ten rounder, featherweight prospect Ruben Villa (22-1, 7 KOs) should be able to outscore Ugandan Sulaiman Segawa (16-4-1, 6 KOs).
Full undercard preview
In eight rounders, Jonathan Lopez (15-0, 11 KOs) can stop Leonardo Padilla (23-5-1, 16 KOs) at super featherweight, and at super lightweight, Charlie Sheehy (9-0, 5 KOs) may need the cards to defeat Ricardo Quiroz (13-4, 7 KOs).
In six round action, Javier Zamarron (8-0, 4 KOs) should take a points win over Michael Bracamontes (9-1-1, 5 KOs) at featherweight, and at welterweight, Art Barrera Jr (5-0, 4 KOs) can win early again, this time against Javier Mayoral (6-5-1, 1 KO).
At super lightweight, Israel Mercado (10-1-1, 7 KOs) can halt Dondrell Haynes (8-1, 7 KOs), and Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs) should outscore Conrado S Martinez (9-1, 0 KOs) in their super featherweight meeting.
