Not long after questioning whether or not the fight was likely to happen, we’re at least a marginal step closer to an ordered WBO super middleweight title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz vs Janibek Alimkhanuly as Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions win the official purse bid for just over a million dollars, as reported by ESPN, which was good enough to best Top Rank’s bid of $820,000.
Warren was quick to say he’s targeting either London or Birmingham in England, or New York as proposed locations for
the bout, targeting either November 28 or December 5.
Sheeraz has been vocal about his feelings towards Alimkhanuly being undeserving of this mandatory title shot considering his failed drug test last year, which led to a period of inactivity. Alimkhanuly has since been cleared to resume his career and ordered by the WBO as a mandatory challenger, so it seems Sheeraz will have to make a decision on whether he’s going to accept his 75% of the purse, amounting to roughly $750,000, or otherwise lose the belt in an attempt to seek other opportunities and/or bigger paydays.
