Kazakh boxer Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has publicly appealed to Turki Al ash-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, proposing that he organize a fight against WBO super middleweight champion Hamzah Shiraz, reports infohub.kz.

"Brother Turki, I have always considered you one of the best in boxing. Have you thought about organizing a fight between Hamzah and me? If you remember, when we met, you told me you had big plans! I think the time has come," Alimkhanuly wrote on X.

The post included a tag to Turki Al ash-Sheikh's account and was dated September 14, 2026.

The potential bout between Alimkhanuly and Shiraz has the status of a mandatory WBO title defense. In August, the organization officially named the Kazakh the mandatory challenger to the British fighter's super middleweight belt.

However, the boxers' teams have so far failed to agree on terms. The WBO received confirmation from Queensberry Promotions, which represents Shiraz, and Top Rank, which works with Alimkhanuly, that negotiations ended without an agreement. As a result, the organization scheduled a purse bid for September 16.

In July, the 33-year-old Kazakh announced his move from middleweight (up to 72.6 kg) to super middleweight (up to 76.2 kg). To change divisions, he relinquished his WBO title, after which Denzel Bentley became the full WBO middleweight champion. Since the move, Alimkhanuly has repeatedly named Shiraz and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez among his desired opponents.

Shiraz has held the WBO super middleweight belt since May 2026. The Briton won the vacant title by knocking out Alem Begic in the second round. His professional record stands at 23 wins, one draw and no losses.

Alimkhanuly also remains undefeated – 17 wins in 17 professional fights, 12 of them by knockout. The Kazakh is still serving a one-year WBO suspension after testing positive for meldonium. The ban ends on December 2, 2026.

Turki Al ash-Sheikh is the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority and one of the most influential organizers in modern boxing. Through Riyadh Season, he helps finance and stage major boxing events featuring top world champions, and since 2025 he has also headed the Saudi Boxing Federation.