Janibek Alimkhanuly and Andrei Mikhailovich make weight for the middleweight title fight

Janibek Alimkhanuly not only made it onto the scales this time, but also managed a comfortable weight.

The unified 160-pound titlist weighed 159½ pounds, while IBF mandatory challenger Andrei Mikhailovich weighed 159.9 pounds. Their fight is the focus of an ESPN+ show this Friday at The Star in Sydney, Australia.

Both fighters still have to pass the IBF's rehydration check on the second day, which requires them to weigh no more than 170 pounds. IBF rules require that participants in title bouts and elimination bouts weigh no more than 10 pounds over the contractual limit during the fight day weigh-in.

Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan (15-0, 10 knockouts) holds the IBF-WBO title. However, New Zealander Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) declined the fight for the WBO title and is only eligible for the IBF title.

Alimkhanuly will retain both titles if he wins. If he loses, Mikhailovich will take the IBF title while the WBO belt remains vacant.

Alimkhanuly-Mikhailovich was originally scheduled to take place on July 13 in Las Vegas. The fight was canceled before the pre-fight weigh-in when Alimkhanuly was hospitalized due to dehydration.

As a result, Mikhailovich was left without a fight. Alimkhanuly was subsequently summoned by the WBO – whose title he also holds – to provide medical evidence about what led to his dehydration and whether he was fit to resume his reign.

Meanwhile, the IBF intervened and brought the fight back on the table. The affair was an epic moment for the #PurseBidHeads faction of the sport. No Limit Boxing, Mikhailovich's promoter, outbid Top Rank by just $1,000 ($351,000-$350,000) to win the rights to the September 3 fight.

Alimkhanuly is attempting his fourth title defense overall and first shot at the IBF belt. He knocked out undefeated Vincent Gualtieri in the sixth round of their IBF/WBO unification fight on October 14 in Rosenberg, Texas.

Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) is making his first career title fight. The timing means he is fighting for one belt instead of two, although there was theory that the tactic was intentional this time. Unified title lists are exempt from same-day weight checks under IBF rules, but only if more than one title is at stake. This is not the case here, which meant Alimkhanuly and Mikhailovich were literally bound by IBF rules.

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