Undefeated WBO middleweight champion Janikbek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) will defend his world title in the main event against Canadian contender Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) on Saturday, May 13, at Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.
Janikbek Alimkhanuly: “All of the middleweights have run scared, so I give Steven Butler a lot of credit for accepting the fight. I want to unify the division, but I cannot overlook Butler. He is a tough, powerful challenger, and I look forward to giving a tremendous show to the fans in Stockton and those watching on ESPN.”
Steven Butler: “No detail will be spared in this training camp. Expect a big upset on May 13. I am confident that I will bring the belt back to Quebec.”
In the co-feature, former two-time world title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (25-2, 19 KOs) will face Vincent Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs) for the vacant WBO bantamweight title.
Jason Moloney: “On May 13 I will become champion of the world. Nineteen years of hard work, countless sacrifices, and complete dedication to the sport all come down to this moment,” Moloney said. “Whatever it takes to have this world championship wrapped around my waist, nothing will stop me.”
Vincent Astrolabio: “Ever since I started boxing my dream was to fight for a world title, and dreams do come true with hard work. I have played this moment over and over in my head, and I will not be denied the world title.”
Alimkhanuly-Butler and Moloney-Astrolabio will be broadcast live on ESPN. Featured on the EPSN+-streamed undercard is the return of “Stockton’s King,” Gabriel Flores Jr. (21-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout. In other undercard action, unbeaten middleweight Javier Martinez (8-0, 2 KOs), unbeaten welterweight Brian Norman Jr. (23-0, 19 KOs), and unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Haven Brady Jr. (9-0, 4 KOs) will all face opponents to be named.
Steven Butler is EXACTLY the type of opponent I expected Alim to end up fighting after he inherited Andrade’s belt. The rest of those guys have no reason to fight him at all. I know they’re talking about Munguia – GGG this summer, but it’s going to look very strange with Munguia and Alim both in the same division just fighting… no one in particular and doing it with promoters who don’t have much of a problem with working with one another.
The Moloney-Astrolabio matchup isn’t bad… but the WBO is still gonna be the WBO by giving title shots to completely undeserving challengers like Butler. He’s barely above Canadian level, which is saying a lot.
The only thing interesting about that fight is to see where the under will be set at.
Qazaq style grossly overatted and hasn’t done anything in the division with 13 fights to say people are running scared. He’s a B level fighter and not A by any stretch of the imagination. He’s struggled with C+ rated fighters. Like Chuck D said, “don’t believe the hype!” He loses to the following in no particular order: Jermell and Jermall Charlo, Sebastian Fundora, Carlos Adames, Demetrius Andrade, GGG, and Erislandy Lara.
Gabriel Flores? He came in with a lot of hype. He now has lost two, but still young enough to get it right. Maybe those losses will shrink that head of his. Time will tell.
He’s taken a pounding in this two losses and the fight in between wasn’t easy either. Still just 22.
Fingers crossed for the Moloney twins,both have worked hard and deserve success.
Alimkhanuly all hype, fighting another tin can bum.
We are in the divas era, soon they see a threat to their status, they step away and look over their shoulders if they are far enough of that. Credits to those that don’t do that like Joshua and Canelo with Usyk and Bivol
Note to the Middleweight divas:Alimkhanuly is just a paper tiger, get closer the way should be to confirm it