For nearly two years, Janibek Alimkhanuly quietly dominated the middleweight division as the unified champion. No theatrics or constant callouts. The Kazakh southpaw just kept winning. A unification clash with WBA champ Erislandy Lara on December 6 was supposed to elevate his reign even further. Instead, everything came to a screeching halt.

A failed drug test in November changed the course of his career overnight. While thankfully, the IBF and WBO champ has not been officially stripped of his titles just yet, his reign has been effectively paused, and the division is moving on without him.

WBO places Janibek Alimkhanuly on a one-year suspension

“The WBO World Championship Committee hereby informs that it unanimously resolved to suspend Middleweight Champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly from participation in all boxing and/or exhibition events for a period of one (1) year, effective retroactively as of December 2, 2025,” WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed on X. “The official written ruling, setting forth the full findings, terms, and conditions, will be published later today.”

The timing aligns with when he was pulled from the planned unification fight after testing positive for elevated levels of meldonium, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2016. For the unaware, the substance is known for giving its users a boost in endurance, rehabilitation, better protection against stress, and activation of central nervous system functions.

While Janibek Alimkhanuly has denied any wrongdoing and continues to fight the case, the sanctioning body has made it clear that the division will not sit idle. Gustavo Olivieri announced that they are booking an interim middleweight title fight between the WBO’s #1 rated contender, Denzel Bentley, and the #2 rated contender, Endry Saavedra.

“Upon the expiration of his suspension, Mr. Alimkhanuly shall be mandated to face the duly recognized Interim Champion for the immediate termination of the interim status,” Olivieri said. “No intervening bouts shall be permitted.

“Failure to comply with these conditions shall result in the Committee taking such affirmative action as it deems necessary and appropriate under the WBO Regulations.”

Now that’s a surprising twist. Even though Denzel Bentley and Endry Saavedra will now compete for the interim WBO Middleweight title with their previously scheduled eliminator being set for April 4 in London as part of the Deontay Wilder vs. Derek Chisora undercard, Janibek Alimkhanuly hasn’t lost his belt outright.

If he serves his ban and returns compliant by December, he will be required to face the interim champion immediately, with no intervening fights allowed. A failure to comply, and the WBO has made it clear that further action will follow. So, for now, Janibek remains undefeated.

However, his once steady and quiet momentum has come to a halt. The belt still has his name. However, the division is not willing to wait. In fact, Erislandy Lara is calling for the strictest of actions against him.

Erislandy Lara is unhappy about the fate of his three-belt unification bout

While Janibek Alimkhanuly waits out his suspension, Erislandy Lara isn’t waiting on sympathy. The Cuban veteran had a three-belt unification bout—WBA against IBF and WBO-, but it was cancelled days before the fight. At the age of 42, such an opportunity doesn’t come twice.

“At the end of the day, he deserves to be punished,” he said bluntly after an open workout in San Antonio. “He took drugs; he tested dirty. He’s a young fighter. He’s 32 years old, going up against a 42-year-old man. He should be punished.

“That’s what he deserves. He’s got two titles. He’s gotta be punished—absolutely.”

For Erislandy Lara, it was more than just one canceled event. It was all about timing. He had planned for the biggest night of his late-career run, only to pivot to a late replacement in Johan Gonzalez.

While Janibek Alimkhanuly has denied intentionally using meldonium and questions the decision, Lara seems uninterested in explanations. In his opinion, a failed test is a failed test, and the cost was a legacy-defining bout that may never come again.