One more extension likely for Janibek Alimkhanuly-Hamzah Sheeraz negotiations

A potential fight between unified middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly and Hamzah Sheeraz isn’t necessarily heading to a purse bid just yet.

That’s what would have happened had both teams not been able to reach a deal by November 4. That date was in itself an extension from the original deadline of October 23.

But both teams – representatives of Top Rank, which works with Alimkhanuly, and Queensberry Promotions, which has Sheeraz in its stable – indicated that they are seeking to continue negotiations.

During a meeting of the WBO ratings committee at the sanctioning body’s convention in Puerto Rico, the WBO President Gustavo Olivieri asked both teams to send an email requesting a one-week extension, pushing the deadline back to November 11, and that the championship committee would then vote on their request.

The minimum bid for the fight is $200,000.

Alimkhanuly last defended his IBF and WBO titles in early October, with a ninth-round technical knockout of Andrei Mikhailovich, moving him to 16-0 (11 KOs).

Sheeraz, 21-0 (17 KOs), is ranked first by the WBO (and first by the WBC, fourth by the IBF and sixth by the WBA). He has stood out as the division’s top prospect and looks to be a bona fide contender in a weight class that is otherwise lacking in depth. In September, he stopped Tyler Denny in two rounds on the undercard of Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.