WBO Pushes For Demetrius Andrade-Janibek Alimkhanuly Purse Bid

WBO has ordered a purse bid to take place for when Demetrius Andrade (31-0, 19KOs) makes his mandatory defense for the interim welterweight title against Janibek Alimkhanuly.

Earlier, the sanctioning body was informed that Andrade wants to defend his title against Zach Parker (22-0, 16KOs) instead. The WBO was open to his approach, but a delay in the process means that this option is no longer on the table for the unbeaten welterweight champion.

The bid hearing will take place on January 14 at 12 p.m. at WBO’s headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“WBO cannot wait any longer on whether Andrade faces #1 Super Middleweight, Zach Parker for the Interim 168 [pound] title,” WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel confirmed on Wednesday evening.

Andrade and Alimkhanuly were informed about their fight just 11 days after Andrade knocked out Ireland’s Jason Quigley in the second round in a voluntary title defense. They had until December 20 to chalk out a deal but they couldn’t come to terms.

On the other hand, Parker has been demanding a title shot since the coronavirus pandemic.

He emerged as a top challenger when he scored an eleventh-round stoppage against Rohan Murdock in March 2020. The 27-year-old then went on to win three more fights.

In his last showdown in November, he clinched a fourth-round stoppage of Marcus Morrison in Birmingham, England.