Janibek Alimkhanuly’s WBO middleweight defense against Denzel Bentley over the weekend added clarity to the chaotic middleweight picture.
160 was historically one of boxing’s glamorous divisions, but now it’s a mess with questionable boardroom titles, untested contenders and two top champions. doesn’t seem ready to entertain any top level challenge.
So, let’s dive deep into the deep waters of a stagnant medium-sized pond.
Gennadiy Golovkin tops the middleweight division, at the age of 40, still WBA and IBF world champion. However, that is not to say that the Kazakhs have absolutely anything or even all that is interested in fighting anyone notable in the division.
With almost no points removed after losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 168th, Golovkin’s return to 160 is unlikely to generate any attention. The WBA was forced to defend against their “regular” world champion Erislandy Lara, but then backtracked and allowed “Triple G” to take on IBF’s mandatory Esquiva Falcao (who?). However, in recent days, there have been rumors that Golovkin will face Australia’s Michael Zerafa in the next match. However, whichever way you cut it, Golovkin is ending his career in an authentic fashion– not wanting to tackle extreme hardships unless it’s a guaranteed blockbuster (against) back to Canelo).
Just below Triple G is WBC champion Jermall Charlo who, miraculously, still holds that WBC belt despite not having competed since last June. Charlo’s reported back injury has sidelined the 32-year-old indefinitely and suspended the belt, as well as being one of the tournament’s top two names.
Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic took the interim WBC belt when he beat Juan Macias Montiel of Mexico in three rounds last month. And, while Adames is a better presence than the hype, he’s certainly not the star.
WBO champion Alimkhanuly is good, competent and professional, but just as engaging as the visit to the DMV. Or, possibly, the lack of appeal is due to the lack of convincing objections to the Kazakh list. So far, the 29-year-old has fought nothing but reruns, no hope and overtaking Euro talents in the region.
Outside of the championship picture, the middleweight division doesn’t really boil with competitive rage either.
Jaime Munguia, the leading contender in both WBO and WBC, turned down the opportunity to face Janibek Alimkhanuly for the WBO title, Jermall Charlo for the WBC and Carlos Adames for the WBC interim title. It was clear his people felt he was not ready for the next step on the competitive ladder. Instead, the 26-year-old Mexican will face Argentine lightweight Gonzalo Gaston Coria. By the way, Coria was knocked down by Alimkhanuly in two innings in 2020.
Demetrius Andrade dropped to 168th. Chris Eubank Jr. back and forth between 160th and 168th, with a recent detour towards a pointless (and canceled) fight with welterweight Conor Benn.
Aside from the names mentioned above, there’s not much going on at 160.
Names like Ryota Murata and Sergiy Derevyanchenko don’t cause much curiosity at the top level (and probably, honestly, a lot at their end). Maciej Sulecki, Felix Cash, Meiirim Nursultanov, Michael Zerafa and Austin Williams are also out of heat at the moment. And, none of the top junior midweight competitors are willing to step up to 160, so there’s not much plot ahead either.
In the best case scenario, fans will get to see Golovkin take on Lara (although, yes, Lara is past his prime too) with the winner versus Jermall Charlo returning for the title. three belts. Then Munguia and Alimkhanuly will step up their objections to help clearly identify no. No. 1 candidate for 160 lb. new kingpin.
But boxing is rarely a “best case” world. In this “real” world of boxing, there isn’t much that can be done at 160. Unless some sudden generator comes on to shake up the boxing world, the divide will be broken. a prolonged drought where the best are either uninterested in proving their superiority and/or waiting for better opportunities elsewhere while the rest of the best are incapable of pulling the reins from selfless leaders.
