IBF and WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and WBA champion Erislandy Lara will meet in a unification fight on PBC on Prime Video PPV on December 6th in San Antonio, Texas.
Janibek (17-0, 12 KOs) and Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) have been added to the Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz vs. Lamont Roach card. They’ll be the chief support for that fight.
A Fight for Middleweight Order
Mike Coppinger was first on the news of the Alimkhnuly-Lara fight being added to the Cruz-Roach card on Amazon Prime Video PPV.
In the big scheme of things, it makes sense for the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Alimkhanuly, and Lara to be fighting because the winner will hold three of the four titles at 160.
It’s possible that Terence Crawford could come down to middleweight to capture his sixth division title, and potentially go after a fourth division undisputed championship.
Given his age and the infrequency with which he fights, he’d likely want to capture as many belts as possible. So, whoever emerges as the winner of the Janibek-Lara fight has an excellent chance of fighting Crawford in 2026.
The Ageless Southpaw Returns
Lara, 42, has been inactive since his ninth-round stoppage win over Danny Garcia last year on September 14, 2024. He’s been in the pro ranks for as long as Crawford, starting his career in 2008. He doesn’t seem to be affected by age. He’s an ageless fighter who still looks as good as he did when he lost a controversial 12-round split decision to Canelo Alvarez in 2014.
The southpaw Janibek is a formidable opponent for Erislandy to be fighting at this stage of his career, especially with him coming off a 15-month layoff after his win over Garcia. Lara has the boxing skills and the jab to keep Alimkhnuly off of him.
Where Janibek has shown a weakness is in his stamina. He gassed out badly when he was taken into the later rounds by Denzel Bentley in their clash on November 12, 2022. He still won by a 12-round unanimous decision, but the fight showed that Janibek is beatable if he’s taken deep. He loses power on his shots.
Tim Compton has been writing on the sweet science since 2015, known for his sharp takes, technical breakdowns, and behind-the-ropes perspective.