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Janibek: “The Middleweight
Division Runs Through Me"
WBO middleweight world champion Janibek "Qazaq Style"
Alimkhanuky is ready to take out his frustrations on Steven
Butler. After calls to unify against the division's other
champions were not answered, Janibek will defend his world
title against big-punching Canadian contender Butler on
Saturday at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.
In the co-feature, Australian fan-favorite Jason “Mayhem”
Moloney will face Filipino contender Vincent Astrolabio for
the vacant WBO bantamweight world title.
Janibek-Butler and Moloney-Astrolabio will be broadcast live
on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Eye of the Tiger,
tickets starting at $25 are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
Janibek (13-0, 8 KOs), a 2016 Olympian from Zhilandy,
Kazakhstan, rose the ranks in 2021 with knockout victories
over former world champions Rob Brant and Hassan N'Dam. He
picked up the WBO interim middleweight world title last May
with a second-round blitzing of Danny Dignum and was
elevated to world champion after Demetrius Andrade vacated
his title. Janibek made the first defense of his title in
November, turning back the stiff challenge of British
champion Denzel Bentley. Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) has won
four straight bouts, all in Canada, since back-to-back
defeats.
Following a recent training session, this is what Janibek
had to say:
“I give all the credit to Steven Butler for accepting this
fight. In a division full of ducks, Butler is a true
warrior. I know he will come to fight, and we will give the
fans a great show.”
“Demetrius Andrade gave up his title to avoid fighting me.
He ran eight pounds up the scale. He is the ultimate duck.
Jaime Munguia turned down a shot at the title to fight
weaker opposition. They are the two ducks, but I am the
champion now.”
“I called out the division’s other champions, and they
didn’t answer. Butler answered the call. I am fighting
Saturday to prove a point. I will knock out Butler in
devastating fashion.”
“The middleweight division runs through me now. I am here to
stay. While the other champions continue not to fight, I
will challenge the best and knock out everyone in my path.”
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