One of the world’s premier boxers is set to throw down in Sydney on the same weekend as the NRL Grand Final – and for an IBF strap once contested by no less than Australian boxing greats Anthony Mundine and Daniel Geale.

Fox Sports Australia can reveal undefeated Kazakhstan middleweight king Janibek Alimkhanuly is headed Down Under to face New Zealander Andrei Mikhailovich on Friday, October 4 at The Star.

The huge event comes 11 years after Geale defended the IBF strap against Mundine in a convincing, unanimous decision win at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

TSZYU V MURTAZALIEV | Tim Tszyu faces off against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev | SUN 20 OCT 11AM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

Australian promoters No Limit boast Mikhailovich (21-0) in a growing stable of fighters that also includes the likes of Tim and Nikita Tszyu, Sam Goodman, Liam Wilson, Michael Zerafa and Mateo Tapia.

Undeniably, October shapes as a huge month for the promotion, with Tim Tszyu throwing down against undefeated IBF super welterweight champ Bakhram Murtazaliev in Orlando, Florida.

Also in Melbourne tonight (Thursday), the latest instalment of No Limit of Fox sees undefeated rising star Jason Mallia (8-0) looking to win the Australian welterweight title fight against Ben Horn.

Janibek, meanwhile, is not only ranked the world’s greatest middleweight by The Ring, but currently boasts both the WBO and IBF straps – the latter of which has been held by two Australians, Geale and Sam Soliman.

Speaking shortly after the fight was announced, the champ promised Aussie fight fans he will make quick work of the Kiwi, declaring: “Everyone knows he is easy work for me … I will knock him out very quickly”.

The new announcement continues a run of incredible headlines surrounding a fight that was initially meant to have Janibek, who is promoted by Top Rank, defend both belts in a bout scheduled for Las Vegas in July.

Only days out however, the fight was cancelled after the champ was hospitalised during the weight cut.

Yet with No Limit Boxing winning the subsequent IBF purse bid, and electing to stage the fight in Australia, the 2016 Olympian is now set to bring his big punching style to Sydney on the same weekend as rugby league’s showcase event.

Asked about the headliner, he said: “The fight with Andrei is very important to me because he’s an official contender for my title.

“He is like a cloud for me.

“(And) I must quickly get rid of the cloud to see the sun.

“Everyone knows and understands that he is easy work for me … I will knock him out very quickly”.

The champ added his Australian debut would be inspired by a pair of countrymen who won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

“At the Olympic Games in Sydney, two Kazakh boxers won gold,” he said.

“Bekzat Sattarkhanov and Yermakhan Ibraimov inspired many Kazakhs.

“I grew up with a dream to glorify my country like them.

“I am very happy that I will box in Sydney.

“I want to show the world my flag in Sydney once again, as our Olympic champions

did in 2000.”

Mikhailovich, meanwhile, stressed he is ready to throw down against an opponent who doesn’t respect him.

“I live in the present, but I certainly haven’t forgotten the past,” he said.

“I respect him as the champion but I know that he doesn’t respect me.

“It’s why I look forward to taking absolutely everything from him. I will be writing my name into the history books alongside Joseph Parker and Maselino Masoe as a world champion.

“This is my destiny, it’s my everything.

“I will stop at nothing to make sure the world remembers the name Andrei Mikhailovich.”

Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, but raised in New Zealand, Mikhailovich began boxing at 15 and turned professional in 2018.

In April 2023, he delivered his most notable performance — recovering from an early knockdown to stop the previously unbeaten Edisson Saltarin in five rounds.

He then continued his run with a first-round TKO victory over Les Sherrington a year later, on the undercard of Nikita Tszyu versus Danilo Creati.

Asked about staging another world title bout in Australia, No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose said: “We’re thrilled to bring such a top-tier showdown to this side of the globe.

“It’s a mouth-watering match up where Janibek’s powerful and dominant reign as the number one middleweight in the world meets Andrei’s undefeated drive and determination.

“It’s well documented that nobody was wanting to take on the champion, but Andrei isn’t your everyday fighter.

“This is set to be a cracker of a fight and a genuine highlight for boxing enthusiasts around the world.”