Boxing: Andrei Mikhailovich puts pressure on IBF champion Janibek Alimkhanuly ahead of Sydney world middleweight title fight

The bell hasn’t even rung, but world middleweight boxing title contender Andrei Mikhailovich is already pressuring IBF and WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly into a corner ahead of their bout tomorrow night in Sydney.

The initial title fight between the unbeaten punchers in July in Las Vegas was scrapped a day before the card due to the Kazakh being hospitalised after fainting during his weight cut.

A cunning move from Mikhailovich’s promoter, No Limit Boxing, means only the IBF belt will be up for grabs in Sydney after they won the purse bid to host the fight over Alimkhanuly’s Top Rank group.

Andrei Mikhailovich will challenge for the IBF world middleweight title in Sydney on Friday night. Photo / Photosport

Under IBF sanctions, fighters must make weight through the usual weigh-in process between 20-30 hours before the fight but must undergo secondary weight checks the morning of the bout. At the secondary weigh-in, boxers cannot weigh more than 10lbs (4.5kg) above the weight limit.

“I guess you could say he’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders,” Mikhailovich said.

“It’s all on him. He’s going to have to figure this one out himself. He’s apparently this amazing fighter who’s done amazing things in his life.

“He’s been in the game long enough. He’s a big boy.”

That stipulation would have been waived if the IBF and WBO belts had been on the line, with other boxing organisations not using the second weight check which allows athletes to bulk right back up in their rehydration process in the hours after weighing in. A recent example of this was seen when Terence Crawford fought Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles in August. The California State Athletic Commission released the official fight night weights of the athletes, and Crawford hit the scales at more than 7kg heavier than his weight from the official weigh-ins.

Mikhailovich commended No Limit Boxing for making the play.

“That was a great move by my promoters. Matt, George and Trent Rose have everything under wraps with what I’m up to and I’m really grateful for them.”

To add to the pressure, Alimkhanuly only landed in Sydney on Wednesday morning, leaving him with a small margin for error if he’s to make the 72.6kg weight limit.

“He’s ballsy, I’ll say that,” Mikhailovich said of the champion’s movements.

The Peach Boxing product was dismissive of the Kazakh’s social media posts calling out WBA middleweight champion Erinslandy Lara and WBC titleholder Carlos Adames for a contract on October 5 – seemingly overlooking tomorrow’s bout against Mikhailovich.

The champion’s also called his shot – predicting a first-round knockout win over the Kiwi - online.

“There’s so many ways to unpack that, but first and foremost, I really don’t care about what he says, because it could all be a bluff.”

The No Limit Boxing card will also include Mikhailovich’s stablemate and women’s IBO super bantamweight champion Mea Motu in a non-title catchweight fight against Australian Shannon O’Connell.

It comes after Motu’s world title unification bout against England’s IBF and WBO champion Ellie Scotney was cancelled due to an injury to her opponent.

The weigh-ins are scheduled for 3pm NZT.