The International Boxing Federation has vacated the middleweight title held by Zhanibek Alimkhanuly after determining the champion could not fulfill his mandatory defense obligation while serving a suspension linked to a VADA anti-doping case.
The ruling leaves the IBF belt vacant even though the WBO previously chose not to strip the Kazakh fighter under the same circumstances.
Alimkhanuly captured the IBF middleweight championship in October 2023 and most recently defended the title in April 2025, when he unified the IBF and WBO belts against Anauel Ngamissengue in Astana.
However, the champion’s position began to unravel later that year when the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association reported an adverse analytical finding for Meldonium in a sample collected on November 15, 2025.
The finding was later confirmed when Alimkhanuly’s B-sample returned the same result in January.
The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports subsequently imposed a suspension that began on December 2, 2025, and runs into 2026.
Under IBF regulations, any fighter suspended by a commission recognized by the organization becomes ineligible to compete in IBF-sanctioned bouts for one year from the start of that suspension.
That rule created a clear scheduling problem.
Alimkhanuly had been due to fulfill a mandatory defense of his IBF title on or before July 4, 2026. With the suspension extending beyond that deadline, the champion could not legally defend the belt within the required timeframe.
After reviewing the situation during a March 5 teleconference, the IBF Board of Directors unanimously voted to vacate the championship.
Kazakhstan Hearing
The disciplinary process surrounding the case produced a different interpretation in Alimkhanuly’s home jurisdiction.
A hearing conducted by the Kazakhstan Professional Boxing Federation examined the circumstances surrounding the Meldonium finding and concluded that the substance had been taken during medically justified emergency treatment.
Officials determined there was no intent to gain a competitive advantage and ruled that the degree of fault was minimal.
The federation imposed a suspension effective from the same December notification date, running through May 31, 2026.
Despite those findings, IBF Rule 18 requires that any boxer suspended by a recognized commission become automatically ineligible to compete in IBF bouts for one full year.
With the suspension beginning in December 2025, the organization determined that Alimkhanuly could not meet the mandatory defense deadline, resulting in the title being vacated.
Different Approach From The WBO
The IBF decision contrasts with how another sanctioning body handled the same case.
As previously reported by World Boxing News, the WBO confirmed the adverse Meldonium finding through both A and B samples under VADA protocol but chose not to strip Alimkhanuly of its championship.
Instead, the organization imposed a one-year suspension retroactive to December 2 while allowing the fighter to remain recognized as champion.
To keep the division active, the WBO authorized an interim middleweight title fight between its top contenders and ordered that Alimkhanuly must face the interim champion immediately upon returning from suspension.
The differing rulings mean the same case has produced two separate outcomes across boxing’s sanctioning bodies.
A Moment That Changed The Middleweight Landscape
Alimkhanuly has consistently maintained his innocence despite long periods of silence surrounding the case.
Before the Meldonium finding became public, the Kazakh champion had been linked to a lucrative showdown with Terence Crawford, who had explored the possibility of pursuing an unprecedented fourth undisputed championship at 160 pounds.
Soon after the test flag became public, Crawford announced his retirement.
Whether the situation had any bearing on that decision remains impossible to know, but the timing ensured the proposed super-fight disappeared as quickly as it surfaced.
What is clear now is that the IBF middleweight title is vacant, reshaping a division that had appeared to be building toward major fights.
At present, the number one spot in the IBF Ratings is unoccupied, with Etinosa Oliha of Italy and Shakiel Thompson of the United Kingdom, ranked two and three.
While Alimkhanuly remains sidelined under suspension, the championship picture has shifted again as the sport’s governing bodies interpret the same case in different ways.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
