Trainer Buddy McGirt says he believes Terence Crawford may choose to fight IBF and WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly if he moves down to 160. Buddy used to train Alimkhnuly in the past, and is well familiar with his style and the flaws in his game.
Crawford’s Middleweight Target
Crawford talked about possibly moving down to 160 after his 12-round unanimous decision victory over undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on September 13. He didn’t say who he would fight, but he would likely be making the move to capture his sixth division world title.
The Other Middleweight Champions
- Carlos Adames: WBC
- Erislandy Lara: WBA
If Crawford were to select the 42-year-old Lara as the champion he faces, he would receive a lot of criticism from fans. Any victory would have a mental asterisk next to it in the minds of fans.
Terence has already received partial credit for his win over Canelo from many fans, as they believe the 35-year-old Mexican star is showing signs of decline from his long 20-year professional career.
A Calculated Opportunist?
Crawford is viewed by those fans as a sneaky, calculated opportunist, taking advantage of a worn-out Alvarez in the same way he capitalized on the car crash-wrecked Errol Spence in their fight on July 29, 2023. Spence looked like a caricature of his former self in his two fights after his terrible October 10, 2019, car crash in Dallas, Texas.
McGirt states that Crawford’s competitive nature would make him want to challenge Janibek (17-0, 12 KOs) because he considers him the best in the division. Many fans also view Janibek as the #1 middleweight in the division.
Buddy doesn’t think Alimkhanuly, 32, is ready to fight a guy like Crawford because he lacks the “antidote” to a flaw in his game that the Nebraska native would capitalize on. He doesn’t see what that defect is, but it’s likely Janibek’s slow feet and tendency to wait for his opponents to come to him. He doesn’t create offense.
A Spider Waiting for Prey
The southpaw Janibek is like a spider, waiting for his prey to come to him so he can pounce with his powerful shots. McGirt thinks Crawford would control the range, using his reach and movement to outbox Alimkhanuly to defeat him.
“Terence, because he’s so competitive, he’s going to want to fight the best. The bigger the challenge, the better he is. Janibek is the best at 160 right now,” said trainer Buddy McGirt to MillCity Boxing about which champion he believes Terence Crawford will target if he moves to 160.
It would make more sense for Crawford to choose Janibek if he decides to move down to 160 to win another belt. However, the outcome of that fight isn’t as certain as McGirt believes.
The southpaw Alimkhanuly is a big puncher, and he doesn’t possess the stamina problems that Canelo showed in his fight against Crawford. So, if Terence doesn’t show more offense and aggressiveness, he could lose to Janibek.
Of course, that’s assuming the controversial judging doesn’t come into play. Crawford would be the A-side in the fight, meaning that any close rounds could go in his favor. Some fans noted that Crawford was given the benefit of the doubt in the scoring done in his fights against Canelo and Israil Madrimov. In other words, there were rounds scored in Crawford’s favor despite Canelo and Madrimov landing the harder, cleaner shots.
The “Antidote” Problem
“I don’t think he’ll beat Terence right now. From training him, he’s not going to beat Terence. You have to have the anecdote for the problem,” said McGirt, talking about Janibek Alimkhanuly having a flaw in his game that Crawford will take advantage of.
Again, the flaw that Buddy is alluding to is Janibek’s slow feet and his bad habit of waiting for his opponents to come to him. His feet are arguably just as slow as Canelo’s, and he looks like he’s walking in wet cement at times. Against a mover like Crawford, Janibek could have problems.
McGirt states that Alimkhanuly hasn’t faced the high-level opposition during his nine-year pro career to prepare him for a fighter like Crawford. So, it would be a big step up in class for the IBF and WBO middleweight champion if that fight were to happen next.
Last Updated on 09/23/2025
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