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TOP RANK BOXING RETURNS SATURDAY TO ESPN WITH MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT

By Mike Johnson on 5/10/2023 6:56 PM

Top Rank Presents World Championship Doubleheader

Main Event Middleweights: Janibek Alimkhanuly (C) vs. Steven Butler - Co-Feature Bantamweights: Jason Moloney vs. Vincent Astrolabio

Saturday, May 13, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7p.m. PT

LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+

Undercard Streams Live and Exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET/ 3:15 p.m. PT

ESPN+ Available on ESPN.com and ESPN App for Mobile and Connected TV Devices 

To Subscribe Visit ESPNPlus.com/TopRank

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone presents a world championship doubleheader. Janibek vs. Butler and Moloney vs. Astrolabio, live this Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA.

The main event features undefeated Kazak phenom Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) defending his WBO middleweight world title against Canadian contender Steven Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs).  

Janibek, a native of Zhilandy, Kazakhstan, took the fast track to title contention after representing his country in the 2016 Olympics. He captured his first pair of regional titles in 2019 and in 2021 stopped former world champions Hassan N’Dam and Rob Brant. In 2022, he captured the interim WBO middleweight title. He was then elevated to world champion after Demetrius Andrade elected to move up in weight rather than defend his title. Last November, Janibek defended his title against Denzel Bentley via a 12-round decision.

Butler is a nine-year pro from Montreal, Canada. He captured the IBF North American title via first-round knockout against Janks Trotter in 2016 before suffering his first defeat against then-undefeated Brandon Cook the following year. Butler bounced back with eight knockout victories before decisioning Vitalii Kopylenko to capture the WBC International middleweight title. Butler is now coming off four wins, two of them by knockout.

In the co-feature for the vacant WBO bantamweight title, former two-time world title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (25-2, 19 KOs) will take on hard-hitting Filipino contender Vincent Astrolabio (18-3, 13 KOs).

The undercard will stream exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore will call the action with Hall of Famers Andre Ward and Timothy Bradley Jr. as analysts; Mark Kriegel and Crystina Poncher will serve as reporters.

ESPN+, ESPN App Boxing Content: Live and Upcoming, On Demand, Studio Shows, Archives

  • Top Rank: Real Time Go all-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night
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  • Who Do U Fight 4? Get to know the next generation of Top Rank stars and learn what drives them

Full coverage on ESPN.com.

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All Times ET

Date Time Event Fights Network Titles
Sat,  May 13 10 PM Main Janibek Alimkhanuly (C) vs. Steven Butler ESPN,

 

ESPN Deportes,

ESPN+

WBO Middleweight
Co-Feature Jason Moloney vs. Vincent Astrolabio (Vacant) WBO Bantamweight
6:15 PM Feature Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Derrick Murray  

 

 

ESPN+

 
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