Alimkhanuly vs Bank Ordered for Sheeraz's Vacated WBO Title

Hamzah Sheeraz has let go of his WBO super-middleweight strap, and the sanctioning body wasted no time filling the vacancy. Its two highest available contenders — Kazakhstan's Janibek Alimkhanuly and Britain's Jacob Bank — have been ordered to fight for the belt, with a 15-day window to negotiate before purse bids kick in. Sheeraz walks away from the division at 23-0-1 (19 KO), his last outing a second-round knockout of Alem Begic.

Alimkhanuly was originally installed as Sheeraz's mandatory after moving up from 160lbs, and he stays in pole position now that the title is open. Bank, ranked WBO No.3, brings a spotless 19-0 (11 KO) ledger into the picture, headlined by a 12th-round stoppage of William Scull earlier this year. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed the order, giving both camps until the deadline to reach terms or head to a purse-bid hearing.

The Meldonium Cloud

This matchup doesn't arrive clean. Alimkhanuly tested positive for meldonium last November, which cost him his IBF middleweight title. The WBO, however, let him keep his ranking there — a decision that drew plenty of criticism and one the body is clearly comfortable living with, given it's now handing him a shot at a second world title at 168.

It's a stark contrast in how careers can bend. Bank has quietly stacked wins, most recently a fifth-round KO of Paulinus Ndjolonimu, and now finds himself one negotiation away from a title fight. For a fighter with 19 pro bouts, this is the kind of leap that either announces you at the top or exposes the gap.

Pacheco Takes a Different Route

The name missing from all this is Diego Pacheco. As the WBO's No.2, the 25-year-old American would have been notified about the opportunity. He's passed. Pacheco (26-0, 19 KO), coming off an 11th-round stoppage of Immanuwel Aleem, is instead lined up to face Darius Fulghum on November 14.

Whether that's a calculated hold or a missed window depends on how the Alimkhanuly–Bank negotiations shake out. If purse bids drag things into next year, Pacheco could stay busy and force his way back into the conversation with a clean record and momentum on his side.