Zhanibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich Driessen

July thirteenth in Las Vegas. WBO and IBF (third and first defenses of Alimkhanuly) titles on the line.

Somebody's zero has got to go! Mikhailovich is 3-0 in prior battles of unbeatens, halting Edisson Rafael Saltarin Mercado, Alex Walters Hanan (a few rounds faster than Ghanaian jacked glass cannon Emmanuel Omari "Kwahu Tyson" Danso managed last Friday), and Nicholas Taylor. Alimkhanuly is 2-0 with stoppages over Vincenzo Gualteri and Daniel Thomas Dignum.

Their height is identical at 5′ 11½″ and the Russian-Kiwi challenger has a 3" advantage in reach. Alikhhanuly was a far more decorated amateur boxer, and has the more accomplished coach in Buddy McGirt. Mikhailovich trains under Isaac Peach, best known for guiding David Light to a world title opportunity.

Btw, for the life of me I cannot find a отчество (patronymic - ie the "Gennadyevich" in GGG) anywhere for Alimkhanuly; it's driving me nuts. Extremely rare to not have one in Kazakhstan, although he is from the Wak tribe so maybe they do things differently? Anyway, if anybody knows him to have one and what it might be, please share.

 

Raymond "Danger" Muratalla vs. Tevin "American Idol" Farmer co-headlines, with American featherfist southpaw Ruben Villa IV taking on Ugandan featherfists southpaw Sulaiman Segawa in tertiary action.

 

His career trajectory and in-ring style are both sort of methodical and boring compared to Golovkin's. I know his goal is to reach the same heights of stardom as his predecessor, but ...just don't see that being in the cards. That magical run on HBO was sort of lightning in a bottle.

 

Heck, my search hasn't even turned up a given name for either parent. (the dad's would probably give a good clue about his otchestvo)

edit - re: his coach, you're right. McGirt's out. His page on BoxRec is outta date.

 

In my travels online, a good amount of fascinating but tangential info turned up about the caste (or Jüz) system and ethnic history of Kazakhstan. Alimkhanuly's people are from the bottom of the middle Jüz, with a majority haplogroup N1a1a (originating in northern China/Mongolia) and believed to descend from the medieval Onguts that served Genghis Khan. That explains why Alimkhanuly, like most other Waks, looks far more Asian than Slavic or Turkic.

(Ironically, despite being the most well-known citizen to many of us, Golovkin is a pretty terrible frame of reference for Kazakhs aesthetically - being half Russian and half Korean).

I also found out that in Kazakhstan and Russia, his nickname isn't "Qazaq Style". Some journalist or promoter in the West made that up. Over there he's called "The Boogeyman". (per his page on the Russian language Wikipedia)

 

Now happening October fourth (Friday of next week).

 

Alimkhanuly -1400
Mikhailovich +750