The theme this week seems to be “get on with it.” The WBO has once again ordered middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade to defend his title against interim champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, giving the pair 30 days to come to terms.
Andrade (31-0, 19 KO) first got these marching orders in November after running over Jason Quigley less than two weeks prior, but elected to move up to 168 and fight Zach Parker for an interim belt instead. The WBO responded by setting up an interim title fight at 160 between Alimkhanuly (12-0, 8 KO) and Danny Dignum, whom “Qazaq Style” put down with a beautiful uppercut inside of two rounds.
Then Andrade wound up injuring his shoulder, rendering the whole exercise moot.
There’s no wiggle room for Andrade this time; per the official letter, he’ll be stripped if he’s “not available to fight for whatever reason.” If he wants to keep his 160-pound title, which is still an open question considering his desire to chase Canelo, he has to go through Alimkhanuly.
Personally, I hope he does. Boring and willing to cruise he may be, but Andrade can be a mean SOB when he wants to, and Alimkhanuly’s far too skilled and dangerous for “Boo Boo” to play his usual game.