Carlos Adames reports that a unification fight between him and unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhnuly is “almost a done deal.”
That’s the fight IBF and WBO 160-lb champion Janibek (17-0, 12 KOs) has been chasing since 2023, and it looks like he’s about to get it.
The winner of the Alimkhnuly vs. WBC middleweight champion Adames fight will hold three of the four belts in the division. The only one missing would be the WBA title held by Erislandy Lara. Even if the Cuban Erislandy chooses not to fight the Janibek-Adames winner, they’d still be in a strong position to get a big payday defending against the self-proclaimed ‘Face of Boxing’ Terence Crawford in 2026.
A Unification “Almost a Done Deal”
“We’ve been chasing it a lot and couldn’t quite seal the deal, but the fight is going to happen. We’re working to make it the next one, IT’S ALMOST A DONE DEAL,” said Carlos Adames to Fernando Sabatini on X.
Janibek’s Long Pursuit Finally Ends
Surprisingly, Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) has finally decided to take the fight against the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Alimkhanuly, because he’s been hounded almost daily for a fight in the last two years. He’s been trying to shame Adames into a fight by questioning his courage, and now it looks like he’s gotten his wish.
For Adames to agree to the unification against Janibek now suggests that he believes he’ll be better off taking the fight, given that he is a more appealing option for Crawford, holding three titles instead of just one. It’s a risky move by Carlos, but it might be his only chance.
The Ultimate Prize: Luring Crawford
If Adames chooses to stay put with just his WBC belt, he may be viewed as not worth the effort to Crawford. What would likely interest him more is scooping up three belts at once, so he will only need to win the WBA title held by Lara to become a four-time undisputed champion.
If it backfires on Adames with him losing to Janibek, he’d be back to square one, just a contender like he’d been through most of his career. Alimkhanuly could be the one who gets the fight against Bud. It’s questionable whether Crawford would take that fight because of Janibek’s power, southpaw stance, and toughness.
Last Updated on 09/21/2025
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