(ESPN Press Release) Top Rank presented by AutoZone: Janibek vs. Gualtieri will be presented live this Saturday, October 14, at 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT, on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ from Fort Bend Epicenter, Rosenberg, Texas.
In the main event, reigning WBO world champion, Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly, will lock horns against unbeaten IBF world champion Vincenzo Gualtieri in a title unification showdown.
Janibek (14-0, 9 KOs) is a 2016 Olympian from Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, who took the fast lane to top of the division. He became world champion in 2022 and has made two defenses, beating British champion Denzel Bentley via unanimous decision last November and Canadian contender Steven Butler via second-round stoppage in May.
Gualtieri (21-0-1, 7 KOs) debuted as a professional in October 2015. He went 15-0 before fighting to a draw against fellow unbeaten German Thomas Piccirillo in August 2020. He captured the vacant IBF middleweight world title this year with a unanimous decision win against then-undefeated Brazilian Esquiva Falcao.
In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist from Virginia, Keyshawn Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), takes another step up in class against Philadelphia-born contender Nahir Albright (16-2, 7 KOs). This past July, Davis shut out former European champion Francesco Patera via 10-round unanimous decision, while Albright is coming off an upset majority decision win against U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas.
The undercard features U.S. Olympic Silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs) making his third appearance of 2023 in a six-round heavyweight battle against Tyrrell Anthony Herndon (21-4, 14 KOs). Torrez hopes to notch his third first-round victory of the year after first-round stoppages over James Bryant in February and Willie Jake Jr. in August.
The undercard Streams Exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:55 p.m. ET / 2:55 p.m. PT.
Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna.
Fight Card
Middleweight Championship – Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri (IBF and WBO Titles)
Lightweight – Keyshawn Davis vs. Nahir Albright
Heavyweight – Richard Torrez Jr vs. Tyrrell Anthony Herndon
Heavyweight – Guido Vianello vs. Curtis Harper
Light Welterweight – Giovanni Marquez vs. Donte Strayhorn
Featherweight – Duke Ragan vs. Jose Perez
Light Welterweight – Kelvin Davis vs. Narciso Carmona
Lightweight – Alan Garcia vs. Nelson Hampton
Lightweight – Humberto Galindo vs. Oscar Bravo
Heavyweight – Jakhongir Zokirov vs. Guillermo Del Rio
Top Rank Presents Middleweight Title Unification Showdown: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Vincenzo Gualtieri Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT Live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Live Stream on ESPN+, To Subscribe Visit ESPNPlus.com/TopRank
