The WBO have ordered super middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz to face former unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly next.
The WBO have said the fighters have 20 days to make a deal before purse bids are ordered.
Sheeraz (24-0-1, 19 KOs) won the 168 pound title in May, beating Alem Begic with a Round 2 knockout before defending it in July with a points win over Simon Zachenhuber in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KOs) has not fought since April 2025 when he defended his IBF and WBO middleweight belts.
In December last year, four days before a scheduled bout with Erislandy Lara, it was announced Alimkhanuly failed a drug test. Alimkhanuly returned a positive result for meldonium.
Alimkhanuly denied any wrongdoing, saying at the time: "I have always supported clean sport you know this well. I was surprised when I read the news." In February, the WBO suspended him for a year but allowed him to keep the belt.
A month later, the IBF stripped him of their title. The WBO have now confirmed that Alimkhanuly's suspension has been "terminated" as of July 10.
Super middleweight contender Jacob Bank had also pushed to be named Sheeraz's mandatory challenger. Bank (20-0, 11 KOs) of Denmark had looked set to face Sheeraz next, with both fighters entertaining the match-up following their wins on the same card last month.
However, the WBO has ruled that Alimkhanuly be Sheeraz's mandatory challenger over Bank having cleared him to fight again.
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"Prior to his suspension, Mr. Alimkhanuly fully cooperated with the WBO investigative and administrative process," a WBO letter, dated Aug. 7, said.
"He submitted the relevant medical documentation and information in support of his defense. The Committee considered that Mr. Alimkhanuly was a first-time offender, had an otherwise impeccable personal and professional record, and had not previously failed an anti-doping test or violated WBO Rules.
"The Committee does not minimize the seriousness of an anti-doping violation."