Alimkhanuly fails drug test, unification fight against Lara is off

Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KO) has been pulled from Saturday scheduled unification fight against WBA champion Erislandy Lara, after he tested positive for a banned substance.

The WBO and IBF World champion tested positive for banned substance meldonium in test taken on November 15 by VADA. Alimkhanuly proclaimed his innocence.

“I have always supported clean sport you know this well,” Alimkhanuly posted in “X”. “I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don’t know what happened with the second test, so I requested a retest.”

42-year-old Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) now is set to fight Johan Gonzalez (36-4, 34 KOs) of Venezuela. Lara is oldest current champion in boxing and hasn’t fought since September 2024.

Fight will be co-main event of Lamont Roach (25-1-2) showdown with Isaac Cruz (28-3-1) for WBC Interim World super-lightweight title. In same event in San Antonio, USA, Stephen Fulton (23-1) will fight O’Shaquie Foster (23-3) for WBC World super-featherweight title.