Unbeaten Alimkhanuly and Bank Agree to Fight for Vacant WBO Super Middleweight Crown

The super middleweight division finally has a resolution to its belt mess: Janibek Alimkhanuly and Jacob Bank have agreed to meet for the vacant WBO super middleweight title, with both camps formally notifying the sanctioning body that terms are settled and no purse bid will be needed. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed the agreement, first announced Wednesday. The fight has been building since Hamzah Sheeraz gave up the 168-pound belt rather than face Alimkhanuly, his mandatory challenger. Sheeraz had publicly bristled at Alimkhanuly being handed mandatory status despite never having boxed at super middleweight and sitting out roughly a year through a suspension following a positive test for the banned substance meldonium — a test that also cost the Kazakh his unified middleweight crown. Alimkhanuly, 33, brings a 17-0 record with 12 knockouts and the chance to become a two-division champion in just his first fight above 160 pounds. Waiting for him is the 25-year-old Bank (20-0, 11 KOs), a Dane who stopped former beltholders Tyron Zeuge and William Scull in consecutive bouts and could give Denmark its first major 168-pound titleholder since the Mikkel Kessler era. Bank's manager told The Ring the bout is headed to Copenhagen in December; other reports point to January, with the date and venue still officially unconfirmed.