The Top Rank card on October 14th witnessed Kazakhstani middleweight Janibek Alimkhanuly become a unified champion as he won the IBF middleweight title from German champion Vincenzo Gualtieri. This marks the rise of a potential new dominant champion in the division, who may rival the former unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, also from Kazakhstan. The fight card took place at the Fort Bend Center in Texas and featured lightweight prospect Keyshawn Davis as the co-feature.
Janibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KO’s) largely met the pre-match expectations, where he was widely expected to defeat Vincenzo Gualtieri (21-1-1, 7 KO’s).
From the first round through the sixth, Alimkhanuly remained in control, showcasing his superior technical skills and efficient boxing, embodying the principle of “hit and not get hit.” Gualtieri was clearly outmatched in both offense and defense and seemed focused on survival.
In the sixth round of their bout, Gualtieri found himself in trouble, with Alimkhanuly nearly scoring a knockdown after a combination – one of many he unleashed during the fight. The German survived the brief scare but not for long.
Seconds later, Alimkhanuly continued pressuring Gualtieri, who was pinned to the ropes. The continuous beating he endured throughout the past six rounds took its toll, and the referee eventually stepped in, determining that Gualtieri was not in a position to defend himself.
Alimkhanuly, already the WBO middleweight champion, was declared the winner by technical knockout (TKO) and claimed the IBF title that had belonged to Gualtieri, making him a unified world champion for the first time in his career.
His dominant performance likely sets him apart from his peers, placing him ahead of WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (29-3-3), who, at 40 years old, is not at his peak, and WBC champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KO’s), who has been inactive for too long to make a significant impact. While it’s unlikely Alimkhanuly will fight either of them, he expressed his desire to face them in a post-match interview.
“What we would like to do is add another two belts to this collection,” Alimkhanuly asserted through a translator. “And we hope our promoter, Top Rank, can make that happen.“
However, this scenario seems unlikely. Jermall Charlo appears to be retired and has been inactive for approximately two years, while Erislandy Lara has also been inactive for over a year, with the latest news indicating he may be forced to face the #1 contender in the WBA middleweight rankings, currently Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KO’s), or risk losing his world title.
American boxers Keyshawn Davis (10-0, 6 KO’s) and Nahir Albright (16-3, 7 KO’s) served as the co-headliners in the Top Rank-promoted event. Despite oddsmakers’ predictions of a decisive victory for Davis, the lightweight contender/prospect appeared to only secure a majority decision win over Albright.
The two fighters battled over ten rounds, with Davis winning with scores of 95-95, 96-94, and 97-93.
While certain statistics indicated Keyshawn Davis dominated the match – he landed 51% of his punches, a high number for any boxer, compared to Albright’s 29% – Albright proved to be a resilient and tough opponent who performed admirably despite being relatively unknown.
Davis effectively utilized his counterpunching skills, but Albright entered the ring with the clear intent to fight. Even in moments where it appeared Davis was taking control, Albright demonstrated resilience and toughness.
This match proved to be the toughest of Davis’s career, with Albright doing enough to make Davis occasionally uneasy. Although Keyshawn Davis secured the victory, he experienced a valuable learning curve, suggesting that he may not yet be ready to face some of the top fighters in the lightweight division, though he did suggest otherwise during his post-match interview in which he also entertained th prospect of fighting Jose Pedraza.
“I just want to show that I belong here in the 135-lbs division at the top like the rest of the guys,” Davis said after his fight. “I’m working my way there, and if Pedraza is willing to take this fight with me, let’s do it, December 9th, let’s do it.“
Becoming the best in the division will be a hard journey for Davis, as the 135-lbs division is full of talent, but that also means there are plenty of opportunities for him to grow into the fighter he had been predicted to be, in time.
Overall, the Top Rank card delivered exciting matches on the night of October 14th and showcased the abilities of fighters who may leave a lasting impact in the world of boxing for years to come.
