Although a familiar issue, once again a sanctioning body finds itself confronting calls of misconduct. This time, it involves the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The San Juan, Puerto Rico-based organization’s champion at super middleweight, Hamzah Sheeraz, has severely criticized it for a seemingly unprecedented decision.

In a surprising move, the WBO ordered 27-year-old Sheeraz to defend his super middleweight title against Janibek Alimkhanuly. On paper, there’s nothing new about a champion defending his belt against a former champion and the current No.2-ranked contender. However, what appears to have raised eyebrows in this particular case is that Alimkhanuly is coming off a PED controversy that saw him suspended for a year. While his suspension was officially terminated in July after a review, the fact that he was immediately handed a title fight doesn’t seem to be sitting well with the champion Hamzah Sheeraz, who has now openly denounced the WBO.

“I’ll be honest with you, Ariel, I think it’s a joke. I think it’s a joke. I think what the WBO has done here is a disgraceful, uh, disgraceful to the sport of boxing as well,” Sheeraz told Ariel Helwani. “What you’re essentially doing or what they’re essentially doing is rewarding someone who’s been popped. So to me it doesn’t make sense. And on top of all of that, not just rewarding him for being popped, but while he’s banned, while he’s still serving a ban. So it doesn’t make sense.

“I suppose it comes down to ulterior motives and corruption. And like I said, it doesn’t really give a good message to the sport of boxing. Listen, there’s so many up and coming youngsters, um, pros or amateurs who are fighting to, you know, eventually become world champions. And what message does this give out? What message does this give out? It’s not a good one for sure.”

Given he has kept his record clean, with no doping-related issues, the English champion’s frustration stems from the way his mandatory challenge has been set up against Alimkhanuly, who has been involved in a major controversy that began before his scheduled fight against Erislandy Lara in December last year.

After tests reportedly confirmed that he failed the VADA anti-doping test for the banned substance meldonium, he was stripped of the IBF middleweight title, while the WBO suspended him for a year.

Considering those events, along with the fact that there are enough candidates in the weight class, Sheeraz, and likely many others, is puzzled as to why the WBO has focused on Alimkhanuly, who has now moved to the 168 lbs division barely a month ago and has yet to face an opponent there.

When Helwani pointed out that the WBO defended its stance on Alimkhanuly, including ending his suspension on July 10, by reportedly citing his excellent record, his cooperation with their investigation, the provision of medical documents, and the fact that it was his first-time offense, Sheeraz argued that the doping allegation is a serious one to be simply dismissed.

While on one hand he is eager to go ahead with the fight, the champion finds himself in conflict with his values, which tell him that facing a fighter involved in doping controversy would go against them.

Highlighting that the WBO did not talk to him or his team to sort out issues related to his mandatory defense, Sheeraz suggested “ulterior motives” for why the fight was ordered. According to him, personal relationships and connections could be the likely cause behind those decisions.

Hamzah Sheeraz and others put WBO under the microscope

It was last month that the WBO announced Janibek Alimkhanuly vacating his title at 160 pounds to move up to the super middleweight ranks.

What appears to have surprised a few is that the Kazakh fighter was immediately placed near the top of the division. With Canelo Alvarez ranked No. 1, Alimkhanuly is ranked No. 2, above Diego Pacheco, followed by Jacob Bank.

Against this backdrop, Sheeraz may not be the only one who has been angered by the WBO’s move.

With Canelo scheduled to fight WBC champion Christian M’billi, and Pacheco having defended his regional title only last month, ideally Bank should get the mandatory shot at Sheeraz.

Having fought three times this year alone, including a win over former IBF champion William Scull, the Danish fighter reportedly lodged a protest, not once but twice.

Yet, his appeal did not work. Citing Alimkhanuly’s higher standing as a former unified champion at middleweight and the fact that Jacob Bank has faced only one championship-ranked fighter in his six-year-old career, the sanctioning body found the Kazakh’s case for a mandatory challenge more compelling.

Alimkhanuly, meanwhile, has called out Sheeraz on social media, saying that instead of “whining and crying about it (on podcast),” he should get in the ring and fight. A few observers, like trainer Steven ‘breadman’ Edwards, however, seem to align with Sheeraz’s views.

“You do PEDs in this day of boxing, you get REWARDED,” he said in an interview.

Taken together, the coming days should reveal which direction Sheeraz’s mandatory defense takes. Will he go along with the WBO’s decision or look for another way forward?