Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Anauel Ngamissengue | ESPN - April 5, 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Shakiel Thompson reportedly eyed for spring in Kazakhstan

Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly is reportedly looking to fight undefeated Shakiel Thompson in Kazakhstan this spring

Those eager to see unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly test himself will have to wait a while longer, as Dan Rafael reports that “Qazaq Style” is targeting an “April/May” homecoming against Shakiel Thompson.

Thompson (13-0, 9 KO), ranked no. 8 with the WBO, has yet to graduate past the British domestic scene after six years in the game. His biggest win to date came last September over River Wilson-Bent, whose greatest feats were going 0-1-1 with Tyler Denny and lasting eight rounds against “Ammo” Williams.

Though I understand the appeal of feeding Alimkhanuly (16-0, 11 KO) a weak opponent for his first fight on Kazakh soil since 2017, the timing makes this a downright bizarre choice. One would think he’d target the winner of Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz next month, potentially courting Saudi backing in the process. If he insists on taking a fight in the interim, why not get his mandatory rematch with Denzel Bentley out of the way?

Ah, well. At least it’ll make the hometown fans happy.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

wtf

come on now jani

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sources: Alimkhanuly will face Ngamissengue in Kazakhstan

Janibek Alimkhanuly will defend his IBF and WBO middleweight titles vs. Anauel Ngamissengue on April 5 in Astana, Kazakhstan, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

The fight will be a homecoming for Alimkhanuly. He competed in Kazakhstan in his first two bouts but hasn't since. Alimkhanuly (16-0, 11 KOs) is ESPN's No. 1 middleweight while Ngamissengue is No. 7. The 31-year-old Alimkhanuly will be making his fifth title defense.

Alimkhanuly is coming off a ninth-round TKO of Andrei Mikhailovich in October. He's promoted by Top Rank in the U.S., and the fight will be streamed on ESPN+ while Kazakhstan-based Nomad Promotions will stage the event.

Gennadiy Golovkin, the most famous boxer from Kazakhstan, fought in his homeland only once and it took place before he was a full-fledged world champion.

France's Ngamissengue, a Congo native, will challenge for his first world title and compete in his first scheduled 12-rounder.

While he's ranked in ESPN's top 10 at 160 pounds, Ngamissengue is untested at the top level. The 29-year-old's most-recent outing was a third-round TKO of Sandro Jajanidze (12-32-2) in June. Six of his 14 fights came against opponents with losing records.

Now, Ngamissengue will step up to top level as Alimkhanuly continues to call for a unification with Erislandy Lara or the Feb. 22 winner of the Carlos Adames-Hamzah Sheeraz bout.

[cormack]

janibek taking on the toughest of challengers time and again .

what a guy

[aumonier]

Ngamissengue has made his career mostly in France against moderate adversity (Bertogal and Owono are french journeymen, a couple east european journeymen too like Cvetkovic and Dragisic), but he did a couple more competitive fights (Benyatou and Hache were involved in french national title fights), and he won most of them before the scorecards. He deserves his title shot for having won a fight against top fighter Fiodor Czerkaszyn (who was 22-0 and is still in top 10 boxrec) in what was one of the upset of year 2023.

I think Ngamissengue won't be ridiculous, he is tough and hits hard, it is not such a one-way fight that many think. But I think that if Alimkhanuly doesn't have trouble with weight cutting, he will win. Anyway I am very happy to have a frenchman given a world opportunity (others like Cissokho or Mbilli were expceted to be given that before him). Only thing that can affect Ngamissengue is th switch between pro boxing and amateur boxing he did (he fought african amateur championship before fighting Czerkaszyn, then he tried to qualify for Olympics after his win against Czerkaszyn and has only fought once in pro since)

[Cent0089]

This guy is just wasting his talent and prime years

[Ruthless-RKO]

This guy is just wasting his talent and prime years

no One to fight him

[Cent0089]

This guy is just wasting his talent and prime years

no One to fight him

Yeah, but if he can fight this level of oposition, he should do it 3 times per year IMO

[Ruthless-RKO]

If you don’t ask you don’t get

[igor king]

Ha-ha-ha. Temu version of Golovkin who hasn't beaten anybody wants Canelo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov to resume his professional career in Kazakhstan on April 5

Two-time Olympic champion and professional heavyweight prospect Bakhodir Jalolov has added further depth to the Astana, Kazakhstan’s Barys Arena show, set for April 5, that will be topped by Janibek Alimkhanuly defending his IBF and WBO middleweight belts against Anauel Ngamissengue.

Jalolov, 30, hasn’t fought in the professional ranks since November 2023 when he trounced an overmatched Chris Thompson in 70 seconds to take his record to 14-0 (14 KOs). He will return in a scheduled 10-rounder against an opponent still to be decided.

“It has been a long wait, and I look forward to my professional return in Astana,” Jalolov stated on a press release. “The goal remains the same. I want to make a statement and continue climbing the rankings. This is an important step in my career, and I am training hard to give the fans a knockout.”

The show is to be staged by Nomad Promotions in association with Top Rank. Bob Arum said: “The addition of Jalolov to this makes this incredible event in Astana that much more special. Jalolov is a future heavyweight champion, and I expect him to give the fans a spectacular show.”

In the 10-round junior lightweight co-feature, Kazakhstan’s Sultan Zaurbek, 19-0 (13 KOs), will take on South African former world title challenger Azinga Fuzile, 18-2 (12 KOs).

Also on the card is: Kazakh junior welterweight contender Batyrzhan Jukembayev, 23-1 (17 KOs), who will battle Britain’s Kane Gardner (17-4, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder; featherweight Otabek Kholmatov, 12-1 (11 KOs) makes his long-awaited return against Filipino Jason Canoy Manigos, 30-12-2 (20 KOs), in an eight-rounder; and

Kazakh prospect Balaussa Muzdiman, 6-0 (5 KOs) looks to continue her undefeated start against American Rosalinda Rodriguez, 14-0 (3 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight bout

[apollo creed]

Its not his fault that Lara and Adames are not willing to unify with him. The mw division is so lacklusterr atm.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Undercard Information

Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly’s April 5th homecoming in Kazakhstan will predictably be heavy on Central Asian talent, most notably two-time Olympic gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov.


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SBNation Story
“The Big Uzbek” (14-0, 14 KO) has dabbled in the pro ranks between successful super heavyweight runs in Tokyo and Paris, though never against meaningful opposition. As we’re just over three weeks out from his first fight since 2023 and TBA still has the assignment, I don’t expect that to change. It’s been a profoundly frustrating run; he’s as skilled as his many standout countrymen and a physical monster to boot, but shows zero desire to parlay those abilities into a title run.

The evening’s very interesting co-feature pits undefeated Kazakh super featherweight Sultan Zaurbek (19-0, 13 KO) against former title challenger Azinga Fuzile (18-2, 12 KO). It’s a significant step up for Zaurbek; though Fuzile fell short against Shavkat Rakhimov and Kenichi Ogawa, he’s a damn sharp boxer when his chin holds up.

Super lightweight Batyrzhan Jukembayev (23-1, 17 KO) will be in action as well, looking for his sixth consecutive win since a run-in with Subriel Matias at Kane Gardner’s (17-4, 7 KO), expense, and top featherweight contender Otabek Kolmatov (12-1, 11 KO) returns to action after coming within seconds of winning a world title against Raymond Ford.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!

[Sammy Scaff]

Not particularly competitive matchups but enough A-side talent to get my interest.

[goose 5]

If you're the real Sammy Scaff, much respect to you.

[handsofstone]

I take it UK TV hasn't picked this up?

[Ruthless-RKO]

I take it UK TV hasn't picked this up?

Yh, was checking Sky sports. Nothing.

I mean he’s not Inoue and this would have had to be prime time UK.

They could put it on Sky Sports +

[handsofstone]

I take it UK TV hasn't picked this up?

Yh, was checking Sky sports. Nothing.

I mean he’s not Inoue and this would have had to be prime time UK.

They could put it on Sky Sports +

Yeh, I know the middleweight division is as bad as it's ever been but I do like Alimkhanuly even though his CVs trash

[MightyWarrior]

So this is around 8am American Pacific time, apparently, so UK we’re looking at around 4pm today…3pm for the undercard maybe ?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Date: April 5, 2025
Location: Barys Arena - Astana, Kazakhstan
Stream: ESPN+
Start Time: 10 am ET | 7 am PT | 3 pm UK | 7 pm (local)

Fight Card

IBF & WBO Middleweight Championship
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Anauel Ngamissengue

10 Round Super Featherweight Bout
Sultan Zaurbek vs. Azinga Fuzile

10 Round Super Lightweight Bout
Batyrzhan Jukembayev vs. Kane Gardner

10 Round Heavyweight Bout
Bakhodir Jalolov vs. Ihor Shevadzutsky

8 Round Featherweight Bout
Otabek Kholmatov vs. Jason Canoy Manigos

8 Round Bantamweight Bout
Balaussa Muzdiman vs. Maria Theresa Pinili

6 Round Super Bantamweight Bout
Makhmud Sabyrkhan vs. Duc Dung Huynh

6 Round Welterweight Bout
Torekhan Sabyrkhan vs. Jiri Hauke

4 Round Welterweight Bout
Akniet Alimbay vs. Josef Dubsky

[Ruthless-RKO]

If anyone has VPN or dodgy stick, then you can watch this from 3 pm UK time.

[MightyWarrior]

Cheers Ruth

[handsofstone]

Jalalov is pathetic, praying he gets starched the bully