World boxing champion stripped of IBF title and suspended over doping violation
A world champion boxer has been stripped of his IBF middleweight title following a doping violation.
Janibek Alimkhanuly has been stripped of his IBF middleweight world title after delivering an adverse analytical finding for a performance-enhancing drug following a VADA test.
On Tuesday, the IBF ruled that Kazakhstan's Alimkhanuly would be relieved of his championship status, citing IBF rule 18.
IBF championships committee chairman George Martinez said: "Alimkhanuly is due to make a Mandatory defence of his IBF Middleweight title on or before July 4, 2026. The IBF must notify Zhanibek Alimkhanuly of his Mandatory defense on or around May 4, 2026.
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"The penalties imposed by Rule 18. prohibit Alimkhanuly from being ranked by the IBF or 'participat[ing] in any IBF sanctioned bout' [emphasis added] for one (1) year following his suspension for an anti-doping violation.
"Alimkhanuly’s suspension by the KPBF is effective as of December 2, 2025, and the resulting one-year period of ineligibility therefore expires on December 2, 2026. Accordingly, Alimkhanuly is unable to fulfil his Mandatory defense obligation on July 4, 2026.
"On March 5, 2026, the IBF Board of Directors participated in a teleconference to discuss this matter. A majority of the Directors determined that, in light of the foregoing, the IBF Middleweight title should be vacated immediately."
Alimkhanuly was issued a backdated six-month suspension by the Kazakhstan Professional Boxing Federation (KPBF) that will run through June 2. The nation's local commission took control of the investigation given he last fought on home soil.
The date is six months from December 2 when he was pulled from a planned unification showdown against WBA title holder Erislandy Lara after testing positive for Meldonium.
Alimkhanuly, however, is still the WBO holder as a separate ruling left him unable to participate in the sanctioning body's bouts for a minimum of one year.
The WBO suspension, however, only applies to their title fights and eliminators as sanctioning bodies do not have the authority to suspend a boxer beyond its own jurisdiction.
Alimkhanuly’s team plans to file an appeal, according to Kazakhstan professional boxing federation president Rakhimzhan Yerdenbekov, who said the star fighter is suspended until December 2, 2026.
The 32-year-old, who is unbeaten in 17 professional bouts, hasn't fought since his fifth-round TKO victory over Anauel Ngamissengue in April 2025.
Topics: Boxing
Nasir Jabbar