Terence Crawford will soon be plotting his next move in the sport, and he is a ma with many options.
The switch-hitter from Omaha, Nebraska made history last month when he defeated Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez over the distance to win all four belts at super-middleweight, making it the third division in which he has been undisputed.
Talk of retirement for the 38-year-old appears to have been dismissed by his team, so the focus – after some rest, recovery and celebration – now turns to who’s next.
After Crawford teased a move to middleweight – the one division leaving a gap in his title winning run from lightweight to super-middleweight – Janibek Alimkhanuly was quick to respond to say that he would put his IBF and WBO belts on the line.
The undefeated middleweight champion has now provided further update via X, hinting that things may have progressed and the fight could take place in 2026.
“Looks like boxing fans have a new fight to get excited about – Janibek vs Crawford! Everyone’s talking about it, and if all goes well, it could happen next year. The best should face the best that’s my mindset.”
Janibek – who calls himself the sport’s most avoided champion due to matchmaking struggles – has held the WBO belt since July 2022 and added the IBF in October 2023. Though a much smaller name than Crawford’s last two outings in Errol Spence and Canelo, some feel that the Kazakh puncher will provide a sterner test for ‘Bud.’
Before facing off against a future Hall of Famer in Crawford, Janibek may enter a unification fight with Erislandy Lara.
