Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Danny Dignum is scheduled for 12 rounds in the middleweight division on Saturday, May 21 at the Resorts World Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The two undefeated middleweights hope that securing an interim title will put them in line for a major fight down the line. Alimkhanuly is a massive favorite at -1,400, having been put on the backburner as multiple opponents refused to face him. The brave Dignum is up to the task, but oddsmakers aren’t giving him much of a chance at +750.
Here are our boxing picks and predictions for Alimkhanuly vs. Dignum on May 21.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Danny Dignum odds
| Method of victory | Janibek Alimkhanuly | Danny Dignum |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | -1,400 | +750 |
| Win by KO/TKO/DQ | -400 | +1,400 |
| Win by Decision or Technical Decision | +380 | +1,400 |
| Draw | +2,500 | +2,500 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of May 18, 2022.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Danny Dignum betting predictions
Picks made on May 18. Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Danny Dignum betting preview
The Kazakhstani native has been in line for a WBO title shot for some time, but with champion Demetrius Andrade vacating the belt and Jaime Munguia opting to go another direction, he now has to get past Dingham for an interim title.
Alimkhanuly is a technically proficient boxer who has a lot to offer with just eleven fights to his name. He’s a crafty fighter with good speed and power, and while untested, neither Andrade nor Munguia wanted to test his mettle. While he may not be evolving into a generational great like Vasily Lomachenko, he could emerge as a power player in the shallow middleweight division sooner rather than later.
His back-to-back stoppage wins over former champions Rob Brant and Hassan N’Jikam were impressive and put him on the radar as a potential breakout star. He’s a significant favorite here, but having only nine fights doesn’t give us an accurate picture of what to expect from him.
Dignum is being sold as hapless, but these are the type of matchups where he may end up looking formidable. Like Alimkhanuly, Dignum is a decorated amateur that is performing better than expected so early in his career, but his resume isn’t as strong as his opponents.
Dignum has a decent record at 14-0-1, but there isn’t anything he does that is particularly extraordinary or exciting. While he wasn’t the first (or second) choice for Alimkhanuly, he happens to stand the most to gain with an upset win.
Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Danny Dignum boxing prediction and best bet
Alimkhanuly isn’t ready for the likes of Jermall Charlo or Gennadiy Golovkin, but he has shown enough versatility and class that he could be favored over anyone else. As surprising as that may be, it just shows the lack of talent at 160 where a fighter with 11 wins is on the cusp of challenging for the division’s top crown.
The wins over Brant and N’Dam came against battle-tested former champions who weren’t too far removed from their glory days. His long amateur career has him ready to fight the best, and Dignum just happens to be in the way of things. Dignum can make a good account of himself here, but at this point in his career, he runs the risk of hitting his developmental ceiling early as a result of facing whatever opponents he can find in Europe.
He’s tough, but tough won’t cut it here. Alimkhanuly is a judicious puncher with good footwork and solid conditioning. He can trouble opponents with his movement and fluster them with his hand speed. Whether he has the kind of power that most middleweight champions are revered for is to be seen, but he’s arguably the better puncher between the two of them.
It's hard to see Dignum pulling this one off. Alimkhanuly is at least two levels above him despite what his record suggests.
Prediction: Alimkhanuly to win (-1,400 at DraftKings)
Best Bet:
Dignum doesn’t look like he has chin issues, and both fighters have extensive amateur backgrounds that may result in a more measured contest in the early goings. Alimkhanuly is a huge favorite, so betting on a knockout alone won’t maximize the gains.
A knockout does seem to be in the cards, though. Alimkhanuly’s last two fights managed to go eight rounds before they were stopped, and we think Dignum is good enough to beat the Over/Under to make it to the 7th round before he starts getting hurt.
We like the fight to go over 6.5 rounds at -110, making it the only decent-looking bet to make here.
Pick: Over 6.5 rounds (-110 at DraftKings)
