BN Preview: Time to shine for Zhanibek Alimkhanuly as the middleweight division prepares for a new era

HISTORICALLY considered one of the sport’s glamour divisions, the middleweights are in one thing of a funk and on the lookout for a new king following the presumed finish to Gennadiy Golovkin’s illustrious profession.

On Saturday night time (October 14), two potential heirs will put their instances ahead when GGG’s countryman Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, the WBO belt-holder and No. 3 in the world takes on the man rated sixth, IBF titlist Vincenzo Gualtieri, in what’s extensively described as a ‘unification’ bout on this boxing enterprise.

Truth is, the sanctioning our bodies by no means have and by no means will ‘unify’, they create their very own rankings and set their very own mandatories and make their very own guidelines whereas charging their very own charges. How lengthy one fighter can maintain multiple belt as a consequence of that balancing act is due to this fact anybody’s guess however this contest – between two real prime 10 fighters – ought to regardless be welcomed with open arms. The winner will arguably have a higher victory on their CV than any 160-pounder in and round them at middleweight and their case for being the chief will collect tempo.

Alimkhanuly – AKA ‘Qazaq Style’ – has promised loads in his 14-0 (9) profession. But the 30-year-old southpaw who gained the novice Worlds in 2013 and reached the final eight of the 2016 Olympics wants to transfer shortly to fulfil them. Furthermore, although he was initially moved quickly in the skilled ranks he’s arguably seen his progress splutter a little since he began competing for the WBO title.

He gained the spurious ‘Interim’ strap in opposition to the woefully overmatched Danny Dignum in May 2022, was compelled to go 12 by an impressed Denzel Bentley six months later in his first bout as the full fats belt-holder and, in May this 12 months, he feasted on Steven Butler – one other opponent who was out of his depth. In essence, then, Alimkhanuly – an clever come-forward stress fighter – has gone from educating himself on the manner up in opposition to wily gatekeepers and fringe contenders to dealing with boxers a great distance under his stage now he’s supposedly at his greatest. What boxers want, notably ones as proficient as Alimkhanuly, is a sense of hazard for that training to proceed.

Germany’s Gualtieri, additionally 30, will seemingly deliver the worry issue to Rosenberg’s Fort Bend Community Center. But not as a result of he’s a fearsome fighter – his 21-0-1 (7) stats precisely signify the type of boxer he’s – however as a result of he’s awkward, intelligent and has the type to make Alimkhanuly look atypical.

In a minor upset in July, he comfortably outpointed Brazil’s 30-0 Esquiva Falcao – like Alimkhanuly, a man who impressed in the vest – to win the vacant IBF trinket. In that bout, he exhibited a good defence and dancing toes designed to draw errors and alternatives to counter. Gualtieri can spend a little too lengthy in the pocket along with his fingers by his aspect however, crucially, he hardly ever wastes a shot. Therefore, it’s simple to envision Alimkhanuly getting annoyed and straying from the sport plan early in the bout.

Where this combat will seemingly be gained and misplaced is in the second half of the scheduled 12. Though Gualtieri scored a contentious knockdown in opposition to Falcao in the 10^th (the Brazilian was grumbling about being hit low when he was bundled to the mat after taking an uppercut), his output actually dipped as the finish of a taxing affair drew ever nearer.

However, it should be famous that the underdog has been the full 12 rounds in every of his final six outings. That behavior of profitable on factors, nonetheless uninteresting and formulaic it could seem, brings its personal confidence to the fighter so adept at orchestrating victory over the distance.

Though Alimkhanuly has solely been 12 rounds as soon as – in opposition to Bentley – he completed the bout strongly. Qazaq Style, who was anticipating an early knockout and fought carelessly at occasions, dug deep in rounds 11 and 12 simply as the Briton was having fun with his greatest interval of the combat. It’s honest to assume that the favorite gained’t go into this bout so naïvely. Furthermore, understanding he can go 12 with out gassing – an vital milestone for any boxer – will make him a extra full animal.

This is way from the 1/12 affair that oddsmakers have priced in Alimkhanuly’s favour, nonetheless. There is scope for the upset. Scope, too, for the German to morph into a kind of deceptively efficient European fighters – assume Felix Sturm, for instance – who thrives in the face of stress and is exceptionally laborious to beat. But Gualtieri is at his greatest when he’s allowed to dictate the tempo, when he can gradual it down when he wants a breather. In Alimkhanuly, he’s dealing with a tireless and powerful stress fighter, one who can minimize off the ring and punch shortly precisely. The decide is for the favorite to overwhelm Gualtieri in the second half.

On the Top Rank undercard is light-weight starlet Keyshawn Davis, 9-0 (6), in opposition to the succesful however certainly overmatched Nahir Albright, 16-2 (7).

THE VERDICT – If Qazak Style is as good as we’ve been led to imagine, that is the type of bout he merely should win.