Middleweight champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly has reportedly failed a VADA test days out from his next fight.
Janibek, the WBO and IBF champion, was scheduled to face WBA titlist, Erislandy Lara in a unification clash on Saturday in Texas on the undercard of Isaac Cruz vs Lamont Roach.
However, the showdown was thrown into doubt after Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger reported that Janibek has delivered an adverse analytical finding for a performance-enhancing substance in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Test [VADA].
As this article goes to publish, members of Janibek’s team did not reply to proboxing-fans.com seeking comment on the situation.
Journalist Dan Rafael obtained a copy of the VADA report which stated that Alimkhanuly tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium.
Janibek claimed he was surprised by the result of the test.
“I have always supported clean sport you know this well,” he wrote on X.
“I was surprised when I read the news.
“VADA took the first test and said everything was clean.
I have always supported clean sport you know this well. 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.
— Janibek Alimkhanuly (@qazaqstyle) December 2, 2025
“I have not made any changes to my vitamins.
“I don’t know what happened with the second test, so I requested a retest.”
The Kazakh southpaw is undefeated in 17 professional fights and retained his two belts with a fifth round stoppage of Anauel Nganmissengue in April, but has struggled to lure the major names into a ring with him.
Lara, 42, forced Danny Garcia to retire in the ninth round last September to defend his WBA crown.
Premier Boxing Champions, which is promoting Saturday’s event, confirmed that Janibek has been pulled from the bout and Lara will now face Johan Gonzalez, who is coming off a split decision win over Jarrett Hurd.
At the top of the bill at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Cruz defends his WBC interim super lightweight title against Lamont Roach Jr and elsewhere, O’Shaquie Foster defends his WBC super featherweight crown against Stephen Fulton Jr.
