WBO Orders Hamzah Sheeraz to Face Former Champion as Mandatory Challenger

Hamzah Sheeraz's second defense of the WBO super middleweight title will be against a former champion.

Three weeks after the 27-year-old Sheeraz's successful title defense against Simon Zachenhuber, the WBO is ordering its super middleweight champion arguably the toughest fight of his career.

The organization announced Friday morning that former 160-pound champion Janibek Alimkhanuly has been designated as Sheeraz's mandatory challenger, as first reported by Ring Magazine.

The official document states that Sheeraz and Alimkhanuly have 20 days to reach an agreement before the bout heads to purse bids.

OFFICIAL: Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has been designated Mandatory Challenger to WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Hamzah Sheeraz. 🥊

Both teams have been ordered to begin negotiations. pic.twitter.com/nJTbHELITJ
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) August 14, 2026

Alimkhanuly was named the mandatory challenger over 20-0 Jacob Bank, who seemingly cemented himself as the No. 1 contender with a unanimous decision win over Pawel August in July, on the same card as Sheeraz's last title defense. Bank also has a win over former undisputed super middleweight title challenger William Scull.

Alimkhanuly is now the WBO's No. 2-ranked super middleweight contender, only behind former champion Canelo Alvarez, who is set to face Christian Mbilli for the WBC 168-pound title in October. Bank is currently the No. 4-ranked contender.

In its official announcement, the WBO cited Alimkhanuly's superior resume and pedigree. The former champion's 12-month suspension was the only obstacle, which has now been rescinded, with the WBO stating that he "fully satisfied the applicable conditions imposed upon him."

Janibek Alimkhanuly gets suspension revoked for WBO title fight

The undefeated Alimkhanuly has never previously competed at 168 pounds. The former WBO and IBF middleweight champion has not fought since April 2025, when he stopped Anauel Ngamissengue in the fifth round.

Since his last fight, Alimkhanuly was scheduled to end his year-long layoff and defend his titles against Erislandy Lara in December 2025. However, a failed drug test pulled him from the fight and slapped him with a year-long suspension, courtesy of the WBO. That suspension was terminated on July 10, per the WBO's official announcement documents.

The failed drug test still cost Alimkhanuly both the WBO and IBF belts. The IBF stripped him of his title almost immediately after the fight was canceled, before the WBO reviewed the situation and temporarily shelved him.

The mandatory challenger order is now the second time Sheeraz and Alimkhanuly have been ordered to fight by the WBO. The organization previously ordered the fight in 2024, back when Alimkhanuly was its middleweight champion and Sheeraz was an undefeated challenger.

The fight fell apart at the time, with Alimkhanuly instead defending Ngamissengue and Sheeraz challenging WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames.

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