Queensberry Wins Purse Bid for Sheeraz–Janibek Title Fight

The fight many doubted would ever make it past the talking stage has just taken a meaningful step towards reality. Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions have won the official purse bid for the ordered WBO super middleweight title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Janibek Alimkhanuly, edging out Top Rank in a tight financial shootout.

Queensberry’s winning offer came in at just over $1 million, according to ESPN, enough to beat Top Rank’s $820,000 bid and seize control of one of the most intriguing matchups on the table at 168 pounds.

Once the numbers were in, Warren wasted no time setting out his stall. He’s already eyeing dates of November 28 or December 5, with a three-city shortlist that underlines the scale of his ambition: London, Birmingham, or New York.

London would give Sheeraz a major-stage homecoming in a capital that has embraced his rise. Birmingham offers a different slice of the British fight scene, a passionate Midlands crowd and a fresh backdrop. New York, though, would flip the script entirely — a neutral, global stage in one of boxing’s spiritual homes, and a clear signal that this is a fight meant to resonate far beyond domestic borders.

Nothing is signed yet, but with the purse bid resolved and venues already in the conversation, the bout has moved from hypothetical to highly plausible. After weeks of doubt over whether the matchup would actually land, the next punch in this story should be thrown inside a ring, not a boardroom.