Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly Moves to Super Middleweight After Doping Ban

Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has announced that he is moving to the super middleweight division following a one-year suspension for a doping violation, relinquishing his remaining World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight title and potentially setting up future bouts against some of boxing’s biggest names, including Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Alimkhanuly had established himself as one of boxing’s leading middleweights after unifying the WBO and International Boxing Federation (IBF) world titles. His career was disrupted late last year, however, when he tested positive for a banned substance ahead of a planned title unification fight with World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Erislandy Lara. The suspension, which runs until December 2026, also cost him the IBF championship after he was unable to make a mandatory title defense. Before the suspension was due to expire, Alimkhanuly had been expected to defend his remaining WBO title against the UK’s Denzel Bentley. Instead, he announced that he would vacate the belt and move up to the super middleweight division, where the weight limit is 168 pounds and many of boxing’s highest-profile fighters now compete. Bentley has since been elevated to full WBO middleweight champion. “We made a lot of noise in the middleweight division and won two world titles. It was here that we brought the ‘Kazakh Style’ to the global stage. Now it’s time to continue that journey at super middleweight,” Alimkhanuly wrote on Instagram. Alimkhanuly received the WBO title in 2022 after American Demetrius Andrade declined to defend the belt against him. A year later, he stopped Germany’s Vincenzo Gualtieri to unify the WBO and IBF championships. His middleweight résumé also includes a unanimous decision victory over the UK’s Denzel Bentley and a successful title defense against France’s Anauel Ngamissengue. The move to super middleweight revives the possibility of a long-discussed fight with Mexico’s undisputed champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, whom Alimkhanuly has repeatedly challenged in recent years. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, another prominent Kazakhstani boxer, Olympic champion Daniyar Yeleussinov, was sentenced to 20 days in administrative detention and banned from driving for seven years after multiple alcohol-related traffic incidents.

Kazakh School Teams to Compete at Drone Soccer World Cup in South Korea

Three school teams from Astana will represent Kazakhstan for the first time at the FIDA Drone Soccer World Cup 2025, set to take place in late September in Jeonju, South Korea, according to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. Drone soccer, a South Korean innovation launched in 2016, is a rapidly growing esport. The game is played in a netted arena by two teams of five, each piloting spherical drones measuring 20-40 centimeters in diameter. The goal is to score by flying a designated drone, known as the drone-ball, through the opponent’s gate while defending one’s own. Matches consist of three three-minute rounds. The Federation of International Dronesoccer Association (FIDA) was founded in 2021, bringing together national associations. The inaugural world championship took place in South Korea in 2023, evolving from a school-based initiative into a national sensation. Today, more than 1,000 school and university teams compete across South Korea, and FIDA now includes over 35 countries. The 2025 World Cup in Jeonju is expected to feature dozens of national squads and hundreds of athletes, including Kazakhstan’s debut delegation. Kazakhstan will be represented by three Astana-based teams: Specialized Lyceum No. 82 “Daryn,” School-Lyceum No. 8, and the private school Skillset. “For children, this is not just a tournament but a ticket to the future. Today they pilot drones; tomorrow they’ll design unmanned systems that could reshape aviation in Kazakhstan and beyond,” said Dmitry Ivanov, head of the Kazakhstan Drone Soccer Association. The championship will run from September 25 to 28 at two venues: the Jeonju International Drone Sports Center and the Jeonju World Cup Stadium. This autumn, the Kazakh teams will also participate in Digital Bridge 2025 in Astana, where they are scheduled to lead masterclasses and demonstration matches for international guests. Organizers say the event will mark the launch of Kazakhstan’s national drone soccer season for 2025-2026, with the introduction of regular school and city leagues. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is also investing in drone technology for broader applications, including agriculture and safety engineering.