Kazakhstan’s Janibek Alimkhanuly defended his WBO world middleweight title with an impressive second-round knockout of Canadian Steven Butler.
The 30-year-old caught Butler with a left hook and followed with a series of lefts, isolating Butler three times before the referee stopped the fight.
Undefeated southpaw Alimkhanuly now has 14 wins with nine knockouts.
Then he called up Mexican Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and American Jermall Charlo.
Alvarez is the undisputed super middleweight champion, while Charlo holds the WBC middleweight belt.
“Boxing champions and superstars, where are you?” Alimkhanuly said.
“I’m the most shunned fighter. I’m the king of middleweight.
“Canelo and Charlo, I’m coming. I’m ready for anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
On the same card in Stockton, Calif., Australian Jason Moloney won his first world title with a majority decision victory over Vincent Astrolabio for the vacant WBO bantamweight belt.
The 32-year-old from Melbourne won on two judges’ cards, 115-113 and 116-112, while the third had the fight in a draw.
Elsewhere, American Rolando Romero beat Venezuelan Ismael Barroso in Las Vegas in a controversial ninth-round stoppage to claim the vacant WBA super lightweight title.
Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight in the ninth round with Romero swinging but seemingly not landing against Barroso.
“He was a warrior. He wanted to keep going. He should have been able to keep going,” Romero said after his victory.
His win was his 15th in 16 fights and means he wins the world title on his debut in the division.
Romero was due to meet undefeated world title holder Alberto Puello, but the Dominican returned an A-sample positive for a performance-enhancing substance last month and was named ‘recess champion’ on Wednesday.
Crushed in the third round, Romero knocked down Barroso early in the ninth, although the South American called it a push.
“He [the referee] just stopped the fight. He didn’t tell me anything,” Barroso said.
“You could see him clearly. I was hitting him. There was nothing he was hitting me with clearly. I don’t understand.”
