Hamzah Sheeraz has withdrawn from a proposed bout with Janibek Alimkhanuly and relinquished his WBO super-middleweight title, the sanctioning body has confirmed.
The British fighter was mandated by the organisation to face the Kazakhstan boxer, who is the WBO’s number one challenger for the title.
A purse bid was held on Thursday for the right to host the bout, which Sheeraz’s promoters Queensberry won with a bid of $1,001,809 (£747,903). Top Rank were the only other bidders, but fell short with their $850,000 (£634, 569) offer.
The British promoters had planned to stage the bout on either 28 November or 5 December with London, Birmingham and New York proposed locations.
But the WBO confirmed on Friday night Sheeraz, 27, had withdrawn from the bout.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri posted on X: “The WBO confirms that Queensberry Promotions has formally notified in writing that Hamzah Sheeraz, per the terms resulting from the purse bid proceedings concerning his mandatory obligation against Janibek Alimkhanuly, has elected not to proceed with the mandatory and has voluntarily relinquished his WBO super-middleweight world championship.
“The WBO acknowledges and respects the decision of Hamzah and his team.
“The WBO doors will always remain open to him, and we sincerely wish Hamzah and his team all the very best and continued success moving forward.
“The WBO World Championship Committee will render the applicable ruling on Monday, September 21, regarding the status of the WBO super-middleweight world championship and the division moving forward.”
Sheeraz’s manager Spencer Brown has been contacted for comment.
Alimkhanuly’s manager Egis Klimas claimed on X earlier on Friday that Sheeraz had withdrawn from the bout.
He posted: “Ha, I was right, if you scared yesterday, you scared today and you will be scared tomorrow. Couple things you can’t train in boxing, chin and scariness. Been informed Hamzah Sheeraz has vacated WBO title. What ashamed! [sic]”
Sheeraz, who has a record of 24 wins and one draw, won the super-middleweight title when he beat Alem Begic in May, before defending it against Simon Zachenhuber in July.
Alimkhanuly’s position for the title has been controversial. Last December, just before a defence of the WBO and IBF middleweight titles, the 33-year-old returned a positive test for meldonium.
He was suspended for a year by the WBO in February but they allowed him to retain their title, while the IBF stripped him of theirs.
However, in July the WBO terminated his suspension early and installed Alimkhanuly as mandatory challenger at super-middleweight for Sheeraz’s title.
“I think it’s a joke. I think what the WBO has done here is disgraceful to the sport of boxing as well,” Sheeraz told The Ariel Helwani Show in August.