Unified middleweight world champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly travels to Australia this Friday, to The Star in Sydney, as he puts his IBF and WBO titles on the line against unbeaten New Zealander Andrei Mikhailovich.
ESPN+ televise Janibek vs Mikhailovich live in the USA, while Sky Sports broadcast the bout in the UK.
This meeting was originally slated to take place in Las Vegas in July, but the champion had a was reportedly hospitalised after trying to make weight and the fight had to be scrapped at late notice.
Janibek (15-0, KO10) 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.
‘Qazaq Style’ now faces unbeaten Auckland-based, Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs), a top amateur in his home country after winning multiple unpaid titles, but with little of note in the way of professional wins.
Holder of the IBF Pan Pacific title, the 26-year-old has faced no one near the class of the Kazakh, and as recently as April last year, he was dropped before scoring a fifth round stoppage of Edisson Saltarin.
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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.
Motu meets O’Connell
The undercard sees another unbeaten Kiwi in action, as Mea Motu faces Shannon O’Connell over a scheduled ten at super bantamweight.
Motu (19-0, 7 KOs) has a date for the IBF and WBO titles in just three weeks’ time against defending champion Ellie Scotney, and can’t afford a slip up in this one.
‘The Night’ will bring her IBO title to England, and she won that last April with a points win over Tania Walters.
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The 34-year-old has defended twice, with her only bout of 2024 seeing her halt Noppaket Srisawas in two rounds in April.
A former Commonwealth champion, O’Connell (24-7-1, 12 KOs) has twice fought for world honours, the last an eighth round stoppage loss for the IBF crown at bantamweight against Ebanie Bridges in December 2022.
The 41-year-old was last out in May, taking a second round win against Siriphon Chanbuala.
Prediction: It’s likely to be safety-first for Motu, with such a big fight on the horizon, and she can take a points win in this assignment.
Remaining Undercard
Lightweight prospect Charlie Kazzi (6-0, 2 KOs) takes an eight round assignment for just the second time, and he should get past Lui Magaiva (4-6, 1 KOs) early on, with the man from Papua New Guinea halted five times in six defeats.
Wayne Telepe (1-0, 1 KO) can get a second straight stoppage win, this time in a scheduled four rounder at lightweight against Bashir Nassir (0-1-1).
