British boxer Hamzah Sheeraz refused to carry out a mandatory WBO super middleweight title defense against Kazakhstan's Janibek Alimkhanuly and voluntarily vacated the championship belt. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) officially announced the decision.

WBO statement

The WBO confirmed that Queensberry Promotions, which represents Sheeraz, notified the organization in writing of the boxer's decision after the completion of the promotional purse bids.

"Hamzah Sheeraz, after reviewing the terms formed following the promotional purse bids in connection with the mandatory defense against official challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly, decided not to hold this fight and voluntarily relinquished the WBO world championship title in the super middleweight division," the organization's statement said.

The WBO added that it respects the decision of Sheeraz and his team. The organization's Championship Committee will announce its further ruling on the status of the vacant belt and the situation in the division on Monday, September 21.

The official WBO statement also read: "Hamzah Sheeraz has voluntarily relinquished his WBO Super Middleweight World Championship. The WBO World Championship Committee will issue its ruling on the division on Monday, September 21."

Promotional purse bids

Earlier, Queensberry Promotions won the purse bid for the right to organize the Sheeraz – Alimkhanuly fight, offering $1,001,809. Top Rank, which represents the interests of the Kazakh boxer, placed a bid of $820,000. Among the possible dates for the bout were November 28 and December 5, while the United Kingdom and New York were considered as venues.

Even before the purse bids, Sheeraz had expressed dissatisfaction with the WBO's decision to name Alimkhanuly as the mandatory challenger. The Kazakh boxer, by contrast, repeatedly stated his readiness for the fight and emphasized that his main goal is the championship belt.

Alimkhanuly does not become champion automatically

Sheeraz's refusal does not make Alimkhanuly champion automatically. The Kazakh remains the official mandatory challenger, and the further path to the WBO belt will be determined by the organization's Championship Committee on September 21.

According to WBO regulations, the vacant title must be contested in a bout sanctioned by the organization. The committee determines the two best available challengers and gives them up to 30 days for negotiations. If they fail to reach an agreement, the WBO may order promotional purse bids. Thus, the organization now has to determine who will get the right to face Alimkhanuly for the vacated belt.

August ruling

In August, the WBO officially recognized Alimkhanuly as the mandatory challenger for Sheeraz's title after the Kazakh moved up from middleweight to super middleweight. Janibek previously held the WBO and IBF championship belts in the category up to 72.6 kg.

Alimkhanuly remains undefeated in the professional ring – 17 wins, 12 of them by knockout. Sheeraz has 24 wins, one draw and 19 knockouts.