SEPT 17, 2026: The WBO announced the results of its purse bid for a super middleweight title fight. The oranization wrote: "Congratulations to Queensberry Promotions on successfully winning today’s WBO purse bid for the mandatory super middleweight championship contest between WBO champion Hamzah Sheeraz and [former middleweight champion] Zhanibek Alimkhanuly" Queensberry submitted a winning bid of $1,001,809. Under the WBO's 75/25 purse split, Sheeraz is entitled to a purse of $751,356.75 while Alimkhanuly will earn $250,452.25. The disgraced Alimkhanuly was designated the mandatory challenger for WBO despite a recent suspension for a doping violation. The positive doping test effectively cost Alimkhanuly the IBF and WBO middleweight championships, although the WBO has been very tolerant and protective of Alimkhanuly despite the doping. 

 

SEPT. 11, 2026: Disgraced ex-champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly is moving closer to a world title opportunity despite a recent anti-doping violation. Alimkhanuly is the mandatory challenger to Hamzah Sheeraz for Sheeraz's WBO super middleweight title. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri reported that the WBO has received official confirmation from Queensberry Promotions and Top Rank that the parties have been unable to reach an agreement for Sheeraz-Alimkhanuly within the WBO's prescribed negotiation period.Therefore, the WBO has ordered a purse bid auction for Wednesday, September 16th at the WBO Main Offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

 

AUG. 14, 2026: Former unified middleweight champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has been designated the mandatory challenger for WBO super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz, less than a month after the WBO terminated Alimkhanuly's suspension stemming from an anti-doping violation. In an August 7th resolution, the WBO selected Alimkhanuly as the mandatory over Jacob Bank and ordered the Alimkhanuly and Sheeraz camps to begin negotiations for a mandatory title fight. The parties were given twenty days to reach an agreement, after which the WBO will order a purse bid. The decision is notable because Alimkhanuly's recent PED violation figured prominently in the WBO's analysis. The organization acknowledged that Alimkhanuly committed an anti-doping violation and had been suspended, while noting that he was a first-time offender who cooperated with the WBO investigation, submitted medical documentation in his defense and complied with the conditions imposed upon him. His suspension was terminated effective July 10th.

 

The ruling means that Alimkhanuly will now have an opportunity to become a two-division world champion against Sheeraz. However, the WBO expressly stated that ending the suspension did not erase the underlying disciplinary matter or amount to a finding that the violation had not occurred. Instead, the organization concluded that Alimkhanuly had completed the disciplinary consequences imposed upon him and was therefore once again eligible to compete in WBO-sanctioned activity.

 

The WBO then considered whether the PED violation and suspension should count against Alimkhanuly in determining the mandatory challenger. It declined to do so, reasoning that his suspension had already "served its disciplinary purpose" and that reducing his championship opportunities after he had completed the suspension would effectively amount to an additional competitive sanction.

 

That cleared the way for Alimkhanuly's championship résumé to carry the day over Bank. Alimkhanuly previously held the WBO middleweight world title, made five successful defenses and unified the WBO and IBF titles by defeating Vincenzo Gualtieri. The WBO also relied heavily on its history of giving established world champions special consideration when moving into an adjacent weight division.

 

Bank's petition to become mandatory challenger was denied despite the WBO recognizing his activity and victories over former IBF champion William Scull and also Tyron Zeuge. The Committee ultimately concluded that Alimkhanuly's championship experience and accomplishments presented the stronger claim.

The WBO returned to the PED issue in its conclusion, stating that it "does not minimize" Alimkhanuly's anti-doping violation, but emphasizing his cooperation, first-offender status and completion of the terms of his suspension. The Committee concluded that the prior suspension no longer presented an impediment to his eligibility and that it could not impose an additional competitive penalty after the disciplinary conditions had been satisfied.