Janibek Alimkhanuly Aims To Emulate ‘Older Brother’ Golovkin And Become A Global Star

Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly says his ambition is to follow in the footsteps of fellow Kazakh Gennady Golovkin and become a dominant star in the world of boxing.

Alimkhanuly (15-0-0 10 KO) makes the first defense of his IBF and WBO world titles against Andrei Mikhailovich (21-0-0 13 KO) on Saturday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Despite being a unified champion in one of boxing’s eight glamor divisions, the Kazakh is not yet a household name. Part of that can be attributed to a middleweight division currently lacking in depth at the top tier and consequently, Alimkhanuly has yet to have that standout fight that pushes his profile to the next level.

‘Qazaq Style’ is taking aim at the other champions at 160lbs – the WBC’s Carlos Adames and the WBA’s Erislandy Lara – and victory over either fighter will certainly solidify his position as one of boxing’s best fighters. Yet, more will need to be done to emulate ‘Triple G’.

“Of course, I think I can become a superstar like Golovkin in the United States,” Alimkhanuly told BoxingScene. “Golovkin and I are different. Golovkin fought ‘Mexican style,’ and I fight ‘Kazakh style.’ People compare us because we are from the same country, but he’s like an older brother to me.”

Sheeraz The Ideal Opponent For Alimkhanuly

Other high-profile fighters around the division that would undoubtedly help broaden Alimkhanuly’s global appeal are Hamzah Sheeraz, Chris Eubank Jr, and Liam Smith – all British fighters with large fanbases in the United Kingdom.

Sheeraz, the top-ranked challenger by the WBO and the WBC, is fast gaining a reputation as one of the brightest talents in the division. He will star in the co-main bout of the mega-event at Wembley Stadium in London on September 21 when Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua fight for the IBF heavyweight world title.

Sheeraz is the massive favorite to beat Tyler Denny and become the European middleweight champion, and the inevitable progression from there is to challenge for his first world title.

Eubank, meanwhile, has not fought since avenging his defeat to Smith in September last year, but he still carries a big reputation while his aggressive style would no doubt pull in the fans.

Smith, on the other hand, may not be at quite the same level as his prime years but the former middleweight world champion, who fights Josh Kelly on the Wembley card, is still enormously popular in the UK, particularly in his hometown of Liverpool.

While cracking the United States is the goal for any fighter, the UK can offer an excellent gateway to a big international audience. Golovkin, for instance, went to London to fight Kell Brook.

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‘Janibek An Elite Fighter … He Needs A Larger Fan Base’

“I’m ready to do anything to get the four titles and become undisputed champion,” said Alimkhanuly. “We’re working hard and doing everything to become famous worldwide. I need to fight with the big names to get there. I plan on fighting top stars like Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez in the future.”

For now, though, the focus is on Mikhailovich, the Russian-born Australian who has yet to taste defeat but will fight outside of Australia for the first time this Saturday.

“I’m ready for the fight. I’m not expecting something special from Mikaelovich,” Alimkhanuly said. “He’s a good fighter and is undefeated. Still, I am ready.”

Having worked for much of his professional career with James ‘Buddy’ McGirt, Alimkhanuly switched trainers to former two-weight world champion Brian Viloria ahead of his last bout – the unified fight against then IBF champion Vincenzo Gualtieri, whom the Kazakh stopped in the sixth round.

“Janibek is already an elite fighter. There is not much I can change regarding his style,” said Viloria. “We’re trying to enhance certain things, like defense, movement, and picking his shots. I’m trying to take him on the same path as the great trainers Freddie Roach and Robert Garcia did for me.

“He’s in a place right now where he’s a high-risk, low-reward fighter. He just needs a larger fan base, so it becomes enticing for these top-level guys to face him. He just has to beat the guys they put in front of him in a magnificent fashion. If he does that, the world is his oyster. He’s going to be successful with whatever he decides to do.”