IBF Vacates Alimkhanuly's Middleweight Title After Positive Drug Test

The International Boxing Federation has vacated the middleweight title from Kazakh boxer Janibek Alimkhanuly following a positive drug test for the banned substance meldonium, rendering him unable to meet a mandatory defense deadline during his suspension. The decision, announced this week, marks a significant setback for the undefeated champion, who had unified the IBF and WBO belts last year.

Alimkhanuly, 32, captured the IBF middleweight championship on October 14, 2023, by defeating Vincenzo Gualtieri. He defended and unified the division on April 5, 2025, stopping Anauel Ngamissengue in Astana, Kazakhstan, to claim the WBO title as well. His record stands at 17-0 with 12 knockouts. However, a sample collected on November 15, 2025, tested positive for meldonium through the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The B sample confirmed the result on January 9, 2026.

The Association of Boxing Commissions imposed an initial indefinite suspension on December 4, 2025, later adjusted to run through June 1, 2026. Kazakhstan's Professional Boxing Federation, after a January 19 hearing, determined the substance was ingested during medically justified emergency treatment with no intent to...