Two top middleweights will collide in Texas when champions Janibek Alimkhanuly and Vincenzo Gualtieri compete in a title unification bout on October 14. The fight for Janibek’s WBO crown and Gualtieri’s IBF belt takes place at the Fort Bend Community Center and will air on ESPN+ in the U.S.
A 2013 World and Asian Championships gold medalist, Janibek turned pro in 2016. In May 2022, he defeated Danny Dignam via knockout to win the interim WBO title. He was on track to fight Demetrius Andrade for the regular title, but the latter vacated and moved up in weight.
Promoted to full champion by the WBO, Janibek outpointed Denzel Bentley to retain the title before stopping Steven Butler in May.
The other champions in the division are WBC boss Jermall Charlo, and WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara. Both have been extremely inactive, but Alimkhanuly has an eye on their titles.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to fight a fellow world champion,” Janibek said. “This fight gets me one step closer to becoming the undisputed middleweight champion, and I thank Vincenzo Gualtieri for putting his belt on the line. He is doing what the other champions have refused to do. I will, however, return home to Kazakhstan as a unified champion.”
WATCH: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri, exclusively on ESPN+
Gualtieri turned pro in 2015. The German has primarily fought in his home country and beat Esquiva Falcao in July for the IBF title. His confidence heading into the fight results from seeing similarities between Janibek and Falcao.
“Janibek is an outstanding boxer who has done it all as an amateur and a professional, just like Esquiva Falcao. Janibek is a southpaw, just like Esquiva Falcao,” Gualtieri said. "Janibek was the favorite, just like Falcao. In the end, Janibek, like Falcao, will lose because I have the better team and the will of a champion. Only that will decide who wins and who loses, just as it did against Falcao.”
Here's all you need to know about this fight, including time, channel, price, odds, card, and more.
When is Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri?
Alimkhanuly vs. Gualtieri will be on October 14. The main card starts at 10:30 p.m. ET, while Alimkhanuly and Gualtieri should enter the ring around midnight ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, October 14 | 10:30 p.m. ET | 12 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, October 14 | 7:30 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. ET |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, October 15 | 3:30 a.m. BST | 5 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Sunday, October 15 | 12:30 a.m. AEST | 2 a.m. AEST |
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How to watch Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | ESPN | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena | Sky GO |
| Australia | — | TBC |
The Alimkhanuly vs. Gualtieri main card will air on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. The undercard will air exclusively on ESPN+.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri price: How much does the fight cost?
You can pay $10.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $109.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
WATCH: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri, exclusively on ESPN+
Where is Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri?
Alimkhanuly vs. Gualtieri takes place at the Fort Bend Community Center in Rosenberg, Texas. The venue can hold up to 10,000 people.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri betting odds
Per Bet MGM, Janibek Alimkhanuly is the -1000 favorite, while Vincenzo Gualtieri is the +525 underdog.
Janibek Alimkhanuly record, bio
- Nationality: Kazakhstani
- Born: April 1, 1993
- Height: 5-11 ½
- Reach: 71.5 inches
- Total fights: 14
- Record: 14-0 with nine wins via knockout
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Vincenzo Gualtieri record, bio
- Nationality: German
- Born: January 4, 1993
- Height: 5-10 ½
- Reach: N/A
- Total fights: 22
- Record: 21-0-1 with seven wins via knockout
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri fight card
- Janibek Alimkhanuly (c) vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri (c) for the IBF and WBO middleweight titles
- Keyshawn Davis vs. Nahir Albright; Lightweights
- Duke Ragan vs. Jose Perez; Featherweights
- Guido Vianello vs. Curtis Harper; Heavyweights
- Kelvin Davis vs. Narciso Carmona; Super Lightweights
- Humberto Galindo vs. Oscar Bravo; Lightweights
- Giovanni Marquez vs. Donte Strayhorn; Super Lightweights
- Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Tyrell Anthony Herndon; Heavyweights
- Alan Garcia vs. Aaron Martinez; Lightweights
- Jakhongir Zokirov vs. Guillermo Del Rio; Heavyweights
