An unbeaten world champion has once again expressed an interest in facing pound-for-pound superstar Terence Crawford next.
‘Bud’ Crawford extended his professional record to 42-0 last month when he dethroned Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez of his undisputed super-middleweight championship at a packed out Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The 38-year-old Omaha-native put on an impressive display against Canelo to defy the odds and become the first male fighter in boxing history to win an undisputed championship in three weight classes, having accomplished this feat at super-lightweight and welterweight respectively.
As he approaches what could be the final chapter of his glittering professional career, ‘Bud’ is said to be considering a move down to middleweight for his next bout, as he sets his sights on becoming a six-weight world champion.
One potential opponent for Crawford could be the hard-hitting unified WBO and IBF world middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, who has proved to be one of the most avoided fighters on the planet in recent years.
In a social media post, Kazakh star Alimkhanuly reiterated his desire for a showdown with Crawford, sharing a clip from the Inside the Ring show in which trainer Malik Scott named him as the ‘biggest threat’ to the American.
— Janibek Alimkhanuly (@qazaqstyle) October 19, 2025
Janibek made the first defence of his unified WBO and IBF middleweight titles back in April when he stopped Anauel Ngamissengue in the fifth round of their clash at the Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The 32-year-old is reportedly on the verge of agreeing to a three-belt unification bout against reigning WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara next, with an official announcement expected to be made in the coming weeks.
