Unification matchups have been all the rage in 2023 and fight fans will be treated to another one when WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly takes on IBF counterpart Vincenzo Gualtieri at the Fort Bend Community Centre in Rosenberg, Texas, on October 14. The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S.
WATCH: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri, exclusively on ESPN+
Alimkhanuly (14-0, 9 KOs) is arguably the most feared middleweight in the world today. The Kazakhstan-born boxer-puncher blasted out Danny Dignum in two rounds to win the interim WBO title and has made successful defences against Denzel Bentley (UD 12) and Steven Butler (TKO 2) since being upgraded to full champion.
Gualtieri (21-0-1, 7 KOs) has had more fights than Alimkhanuly but cannot match his opponent in terms of resume or hitting power. The IBF champ from Germany has fought almost exclusively out of his home country and picked up the vacant title thanks to a unanimous decision win over the equally undistinguished Brazilian Esquiva Falcao.
The Sporting News takes a deep dive into the odds for this battle of unbeaten champions and makes a final prediction on the outcome:
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri betting odds
Per BetMGM, Alimkhanuly is the -1000 favourite, while Gualtieri is the +525 underdog.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri trends
The following odds are available at BetMGM:
- Alimkhanuly via KO/TKO/Tech. Dec/DQ: -225
- Alimkhanuly via decision: +260
- Gualtieri via KO/TKO/Tech. Dec/ DQ: +1200
- Gualtieri via decision: +1000
- Draw: +2500
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Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri prediction, best bets
Opposition to one side, Gualtieri must have some talent to put together a 22-fight unbeaten streak. It’s just that he’s taking an enormous leap up in class in this fight.
Alimkhanuly was a world championship gold medallist as an amateur and he has transitioned very well to the professional ranks. Some experts have compared him to former middleweight king Gennadiy Golovkin and if they’re even close to accurate, then Gualtieri is in a ton of trouble.
The one thing favouring Gualtieri is that Esquiva Falcao, whom he defeated to win the IBF title back in July, was a southpaw. Alimkhanuly is also a lefty, which means that Gualtieri has been preparing for the southpaw stance in back-to-back training camps.
That can’t hurt the German fighter’s chances, but will it be enough?
The difference in overall class and power punching will likely be decisive in this matchup. One can make an argument for Gualtieri having success early, but can he hold off a rampaging aggressor like Alimkhanuly for 12 rounds?
The oddsmakers doubt it and so does The Sporting News.