Details have been finalized and a date is now set for former unified WBO and IBF middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly to face Jacob Bank for the vacant WBO super middleweight championship, live on DAZN from Banks’ homeland of Denmark on January 23. 

WBO No. 1-ranked Alimkhanuly, 17-0 (12 KOs), of Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, and No. 3-ranked Bank, 20-0 (11 KOs), of Kolding, Denmark will meet at the Forum in Horsens, Denmark, for the belt left vacant by former champion Hamzah Sheeraz.

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In late September, the WBO ordered negotiations to begin for the two undefeated contenders to meet and Bank’s promoters, Kasper Holgersen of Primetime Boxing and Spencer Brown’ Goldstar Promotions, were able to forego a purse bid by reaching an agreement with Alimkhanuly’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, earlier this month.  

Alimkhanuly, who was given a one-year suspension by the WBO for a positive PED test last December, has been inactive for over 10 months. The announced January date comes after the 33-year-old’s suspension is scheduled to officially expire on December 2.

While away from the ring, southpaw Alimkhanuly was stripped of his IBF title and decided to vacate the WBO title and move up to super middleweight where he was installed as mandatory contender by the organization.

Younger at 25 years old and less experienced, Bank’s most significant victory thus far is a 12-round stoppage win over former super middleweight champion William Scull in January.

Bank, however, has been much more active having fought three times this year.