Janibek Alimkhanuly defends his IBF middleweight title against Andrei Mikhailovich Friday at The Star Sydney in Pyrmont, Australia (ESPN+, 5 a.m. ET).
The fight was originally scheduled for July 13 in Las Vegas, but two days before that date, Alimkhanuly fainted while trying to make weight and was taken to the hospital and forced to withdraw with severe dehydration.
“Janibek was cutting the final pounds last night when he fainted,” Egis Klimas, Janibek’s manager, said at the time. “We immediately took him to Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he was put on an IV. While the scans showed no kidney damage, he was severely dehydrated and in no condition to fight.”
Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs), of Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, but now living and training in Oxnard, California, won the WBO middleweight title with a unanimous-decision victory over Denzel Bentley in November 2022. He made one defense in May 2023, a second-round KO of Steve Butler, before dispatching Vincenzo Gualtieri in six rounds in October last year to add the IBF title. The WBO title won’t be on the line against Mikhailovich.
Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) is a power puncher with long arms (74½ inches) from Auckland, New Zealand. He has won seven of his last eight fights by stoppage, including a first-round TKO of Les Sherrington back in April.
Mikhailovich was born in Russia but relocated to New Zealand after he and his brother were adopted.
Saturday in Liverpool, England, Nick Ball defends his WBA featherweight world title against Ronny Rios at the Echo Arena (ESPN+, 2 p.m. ET).
Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs), of Liverpool, challenged for the WBC featherweight title against Ray Vargas in March, but the fight ended in a split draw. Three months later, on June 1, Ball defeated Raymond Ford by split decision to win the WBA belt. He will make his first defense against Rios.
Rios (34-4, 17 KOs), of Compton, California, has challenged for the junior featherweight title twice, both loses, to Vargas in 2017 and Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2022. He’s coming off a fifth-round KO of Nicolas Polanco back in April.
Where can I watch the Alimkhanuly vs. Mikhailovich fight card?
The Alimkhanuly vs. Mikhailovich fight card will air Friday on ESPN+, 5 a.m. ET.
Watch: Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV
Don’t have ESPN? Learn how to get instant access today: ESPNInstantAccess.com
How do I stream the fights?
The fights will be available to stream on mobile devices using the ESPN App.
Full Alimkhanuly vs. Mikhailovich fight card:
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Title fight: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich, 12 rounds, for Alimkhanuly’s IBF middleweight title
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Mea Motu vs. Shannon O’Connell, 8 rounds, women’s featherweights
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Charlie Kazzi vs. Lui Magaiva, 8 rounds, lightweights
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Wayne Telepe vs. Bashir Nassir, 4 rounds, lightweights
Where can I watch the Ball vs. Rios fight card?
The Ball vs. Rios fight card will air Saturday on ESPN+, 2 p.m. ET.
Watch: Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV
Don’t have ESPN? Learn how to get instant access today: ESPNInstantAccess.com
How do I stream the fights?
The fights will be available to stream on mobile devices using the ESPN App.
Full Ball vs. Rios fight card:
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Title fight: Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios, 12 rounds, for Ball’s WBA featherweight title
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Jack Rafferty vs. Henry Turner, 12 rounds, for the British junior welterweight title
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Jack Turner vs. Gonzalo Corinaldesi, 6 rounds, bantamweights
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Jadier Herrera vs. Oliver Flores, 10 rounds, lightweights
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Walter Fury vs. Dale Arrowsmith, 4 rounds, junior middleweights
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Andrew Cain vs. Lazaro Casseres, 12 rounds, bantamweights
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Joe Cooper vs. Lukasz Barabasz, 4 rounds, middleweights
