Sheeraz Handed Janibek Mandatory as WBO Orders Toughest Test Yet

The honeymoon is over for Hamzah Sheeraz. The WBO has ordered the 27-year-old to defend his super-middleweight title against former unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, installing the Kazakh as mandatory challenger and giving both camps a 20-day window to strike a deal before the belt goes to purse bids.

This is a serious step up from what Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KO) has faced so far at 168lbs. Janibek carries a spotless 17-0 record with 12 knockouts, the same run that made him unified IBF and WBO middleweight champion before he moved his focus north. On paper, it's the most dangerous name Sheeraz has shared a ring with since a majority-decision draw against WBC middleweight titlist Carlos Adames back in February 2025.

How We Got Here

Sheeraz's climb to 168 has been quick. He announced himself at the weight by stopping Edgar Berlanga, then claimed the vacant WBO strap in May with a second-round knockout of the overmatched Alem Begic. The July defence against Simon Zachenhuber was a different story — Sheeraz limped to a majority decision that left plenty of fans unimpressed. Against Janibek, that version of Sheeraz won't cut it.

The challenger arrives with a complicated backstory. Janibek hasn't fought since stopping Anauel Ngamissengue in April 2025, and the layoff isn't by choice. He tested positive for the banned substance meldonium ahead of a planned December clash with WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (32-3-3, 19 KO), a failure that cost him his IBF belt.

The Sanctioning-Body Split

Here's the quirk. The IBF stripped Janibek outright, but the WBO went softer. Rather than tear the title away, the WBO let him vacate and then slotted him back in as the number-two contender at super-middleweight once his suspension ran its course. That leniency is precisely why he's now first in line for Sheeraz's belt.

So the countdown starts. Twenty days to negotiate, or the money men decide it at auction. Either way, Sheeraz is about to find out whether his ceiling at 168 is a genuine world beater — or a fighter who got matched carefully and is now out of soft touches. Janibek's résumé says the grace period is done.