Anauel Ngamissengue is exactly the kind of boxer whose fight against Zhanibek Alimkhanuly will be interesting not only to connoisseurs of technical boxing. The Frenchman is an aggressive, tough fighter. He knows how to maintain a good pace, confidently works with power punches. It was precisely thanks to these qualities that he became the first man to defeat Fiodor Czerkaszyn in the professional ranks.

Zhanibek, on the other hand, is a highly technical boxer. When he doesn’t try to overpower his opponent but works off him, he becomes an extremely slick, awkward, unconventional, and accurate adversary. In terms of styles, this is a textbook matchup of aggressor versus technician.

There’s no fundamental age gap here — Zhanibek is 31, two years older than his opponent. But the difference in experience is definitely felt.

Alimkhanuly is a champion who, although hasn’t faced the absolute elite yet, has fought solid opposition. As for Ngamissengue, the only notable name on his résumé is Czerkaszyn, along with a few durable mid-level fighters whom he consistently defeated.

It’s a fact that the counter-puncher Alimkhanuly throws fewer punches on average. However, much will depend on how the fight itself unfolds.

For example, in his previous bout against Mikhailovich, Zhanibek engaged in a more open fight. At first, he landed clean shots, but later faded a bit physically. And that’s an interesting angle, considering Ngamissengue appears to be the kind of fighter who could provoke the champion into a brawl. And in a firefight, his chances definitely grow compared to long-range boxing.

Neither of them can be called highly active fighters. Both Zhanibek and Anauel fought only once in 2024. In 2023, Ngamissengue fought once, while Alimkhanuly stepped into the ring twice. However, both spent the same total number of rounds — eight.

Ngamissengue went the distance against Czerkaszyn, while Alimkhanuly knocked out both of his opponents — in the 2nd and 6th rounds, respectively.

This is an interesting point because, even though neither of them is an elite puncher, both Alimkhanuly and Ngamissengue can hit hard. In fact, Ngamissengue regularly loads up on his punches in the ring, often building his entire offense around that.

Zhanibek also has the ability to end a fight with a precise, well-timed shot. But he doesn’t rely on it. So, in this category, we can call it close, with a slight edge to Ngamissengue.

No serious issues have been observed on either side. However, it’s worth noting that neither man has been truly tested yet.

In his bout against Czerkaszyn, Ngamissengue took shots well — both to the head and body. In his previous fight against Mikhailovich, Alimkhanuly created plenty of problems for himself and occasionally got caught.

But up to this point, there have been no doubts about the durability of either fighter’s chin.

The clear advantage lies with Janibek — the fight will take place in Astana, the capital of his native Kazakhstan. Alimkhanuly last fought at home in 2017.

Kazakh boxing fans are passionate and vibrant, and they are heavily invested in the sport. So, for the underdog, it will be an extremely tough environment.

Alimkhanuly keeps calling out the entire elite of the division but still gets no response. He is a dangerous opponent who won’t generate enough revenue for his rivals. The risk is too high.

This situation can be dangerous for a boxer who has long been considered the favorite. At some point, he might start believing in himself a little too much — and stumble against an opponent no one bet on.

For Ngamissengue, this is an opportunity. A chance to defeat one of the division’s leaders in front of his home crowd and instantly become a unified world champion. One can be sure Anauel will do everything to be ready. The main question is whether he has enough skills to seize that opportunity.