After years of false starts, the middleweight division’s one compelling fight might finally be on the horizon, as WBC champion Carlos Adames tells Fernando Sabatini that organizers have “practically finalized” a unification clash with IBF/WBO titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly.
Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KO) spent the weekend implying the same; with both fighters publicly committing to it, I’m willing to go ahead and write this piece. Lucy really looks like she’s going to hold the ball this time.
Adames’ (24-1-1,
18 KO) stock is at its highest since at least 2021 after battling the heavily favored Hamzah Sheeraz, seen by many as the division’s next big thing, to a controversial draw this past February. He’d be by far the highest-profile opponent to date for Alimkhanuly, whose lopsided risk/reward ratio has reduced him to terrorizing the European scene while futilely calling out what few interesting challengers remain at 160.
Even without the very generous curve the modern middleweight division demands, this is a very, very good fight. Alimkhanuly has a clear edge on the eye test, but is nowhere near as battle-tested as Adames, making for a showdown with enticingly unanswered questions and a ton of action potential.
