Jacob Bank has been given another opportunity to fight for a world title, with the WBO ordering him to face Zhanibek Alimkhanuly for the vacant super middleweight championship. The order follows Hamzah Sheeraz’s decision to relinquish the belt earlier this month.
The WBO has given Bank and Alimkhanuly’s teams 15 days to reach an agreement. If they fail to make a deal within that period, the organization is expected to move to purse-bid proceedings.
The vacancy was created after Sheeraz voluntarily gave up the WBO super middleweight title rather than proceed with his mandatory defense against Alimkhanuly. Queensberry Promotions had previously won the purse bid for that contest with a $1,001,809 offer, but the fight will no longer take place as originally ordered.
Bank now steps into the title picture as the available contender selected to challenge Alimkhanuly. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has described Bank as the “first AVAILABLE contender” in the process.
The opportunity is particularly significant for Bank, who has already been involved in the WBO’s super middleweight title picture this year. The unbeaten Danish contender was ranked No. 3 by the WBO earlier in 2026 and had previously been frustrated after not receiving the vacant championship opportunity that eventually went to Sheeraz.
Bank strengthened his position with a 12th-round stoppage of former IBF super middleweight champion William Scull in January. He then followed that victory with a five-round win over Paulinus Ndjolonimu in April, according to The Ring.
For Alimkhanuly, the fight represents a chance to immediately compete for another world championship after moving up from middleweight. The Kazakh fighter previously held the IBF and WBO middleweight titles before moving into the 168-pound division.
His placement at the top of the WBO rankings had already generated discussion among contenders, particularly following his previous suspension related to an adverse drug test. The WBO later confirmed that his suspension had ended on July 10 after he fulfilled the organization’s requirements.
The situation now moves into the negotiation stage. Bank and Alimkhanuly have 15 days to determine whether they can agree on the terms of the vacant-title contest before the WBO can order a purse bid.
No date, venue or broadcaster has been confirmed for the fight at this stage. The immediate focus will be on whether the two sides can reach an agreement within the allotted period.
For Bank, it is another chance to turn his position in the rankings into a world championship opportunity. For Alimkhanuly, it is an opportunity to claim a title in a new weight class. With the WBO belt now vacant, their negotiations will determine the next step in the super middleweight division.
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