By: Sean Crose
The WBO and IBF middleweight titles were on the line Saturday night in Texas. For in Rosenberg’s Fort Bend Community Center, the 14-0 WBO titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly battled the 20-0-1 IBF titlist Vincenzo Gualtieri in a scheduled 12 round affair. The title unification match was the main event of a Top Rank, ESPN card. Alimkhanuly’s jab told the story of the opening round. The second saw the 30 year old Alimkhaunuly dominate. Alimkhanuly’s jab once again told the tale in the third. By the fourth is was worth wondering if Gualtiere would actually be able to get in on his man.
A powerful uppercut sent Gualtieri stumbling in the fifth. To his everlasting credit, Gualtieri survived the moment, Still, it looked as if Alimkhaunuly’s punches were starting to take their toll on Gualtieri. Indeed, Alimkkhaunuly rattled Gualtieri again the sixth. This time, however, Gualtieri couldn’t survive the attack. On the verge of going down, Gualtieri was saved by the referee stepping in and ending Alinkhaunuly’s assault. The Kazakh warrior is now both the WBO and IBF middleweight champion of the world. Make no mistake about it, Alinkhaunuly is a legitimate force to be reckoned with.
- Image: WBO