{"id":295635,"date":"2025-12-02T22:24:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T22:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/295635\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T22:24:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T22:24:11","slug":"terence-crawfords-ideal-next-fight-in-jeopardy-as-title-bout-cancelled-over-drug-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/295635\/","title":{"rendered":"Terence Crawford’s ideal next fight in jeopardy as title bout cancelled over drug test"},"content":{"rendered":"

Janibek Alimkhanuly has reportedly tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in a VADA test.<\/p>\n

According to Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger, the IBF and WBO middleweight champion has delivered an adverse analytical finding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Janibek<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Alimkhanuly is the IBF and WBO middleweight world champion and was set for a three-belt shootout this weekendCredit: Mikey Williams\/Top Rank\"LAS<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

He was set to meet boxing’s older world champion Lara, who holds the WBA strap at 160lbsCredit: GETTY<\/p>\n

And Janibek’s 160lbs unification bout with boxing’s oldest world champion Erislandy Lara<\/a> now looks to be off.<\/p>\n

Esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael obtained a VADA report<\/a> that suggests Janibek vs Lara has been cancelled, according to Premier Boxing Champions \u2014 promoters of the fight.<\/p>\n

Janibek has since released a statement on X.<\/p>\n

“I have always supported clean sport, you know this well,” the 32-year-old said.<\/p>\n

READ MORE BOXING NEWS<\/p>\n

“I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. <\/p>\n

“I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don\u2019t know what happened with the second test, so I requested a retest.”<\/p>\n

Terence Crawford had teased fight with Janibek Alimkhanuly<\/p>\n

Undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford<\/a> had a keen eye on the undefeated Kazakh’s fight with Lara.<\/p>\n

It was set to take place on the undercard of Isaac Cruz vs Lamont Roach in San Antonio<\/a> this weekend, but Lara, according to Coppinger and Rafael, is now set to defend his WBA title against a new opponent.<\/p>\n

Crawford, who moved up two divisions to claim Canelo Alvarez<\/a>‘s undisputed super middleweight throne in September, said he had his ‘eyes’ on Janibek<\/a> during an interaction with the 32-year-old’s manager in October.<\/p>\n

He later stirred the pot by uploading a video to his social media accounts showing a photo of him alongside Janibek posing simultaneously.<\/p>\n

Janibek vs Lara was set to be a classic three-belt shootout in the middleweight division, but the news of the former’s alleged failed drug test could have huge ramifications on the future at 160lbs.<\/p>\n

Responding to Janibek’s positive test, one fan wrote on X: “The boxing gods [are] keeping that dreaded Janibek vs. Crawford fight from happening.”<\/p>\n

While another added: “This s*** better not be true. 160lbs division already looks terrible. Then never mind this guy who [has] been feening for Crawford.”<\/p>\n

Carlos Adames, who drew with Hamzah Sheeraz<\/a> in February, holds the WBC’s belt at 160lbs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He hasn’t fought since the highly contentious draw with the 26-year-old British star, but was in negotiations to box Janibek in early 2025 until a deal collapsed.<\/p>\n

Crawford, meanwhile, has teased a potential move from 168lbs to 160lb more than once to challenge for a world title in a sixth weight class.<\/p>\n

\"Terence<\/a><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

Crawford had told Janibek he was keeping a close eye on his fight with LaraCredit: Getty<\/p>\n

“My gut says the same thing,” he told Netflix after his win over Canelo.<\/p>\n

Read More on talkSPORT<\/p>\n

“I’m going to sit down with my team and discuss what is next in the future for\u00a0Terence Crawford, but who knows, I might go down to 160lbs.”<\/p>\n

Crawford became the first male boxer in the four-belt era of the sport’s history to win undisputed titles in three separate weight classes when he overcame Canelo via unanimous decision in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Janibek Alimkhanuly has reportedly tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in a VADA test. According to Ring Magazine’s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295636,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[119359,99470,2560,6102,78449,119360,78448,101,9553,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-295635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-alimkhanuly","tag-alimkhanuly-vs-lara","tag-boxing","tag-boxing-news","tag-erislandy-lara","tag-isaac-cruz-vs-lamont-roach","tag-janibek-alimkhanuly","tag-sports","tag-terence-crawford","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295635\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}