Reports that unified WBO/IBF middleweight title holder, Janibek Alimkhanuly, is close to finalizing an agreement to face undefeated British fighter, Shakiel Thompson, are premature.

On Monday, Dan Rafael took to X to report that, per sources, Alimkhanuly, 16-0 (11 KOs) was close to a deal to defend against Sheffield’s Thompson, 13-0 (9 KOs), in Kazakhstan in ‘April/May.’

Ring Magazine’s No. 1 ranked middleweight, Alimkhanuly, last boxed in October when he scored a one-sided, ninth round stoppage of Australia’s previously unbeaten Andrei Mikhailovich.

The Ring reached out to Thompson’s manager, Kevin Maree, who confirmed that although there have been talks about a potential fight, for the time being at least, the teams are a long way from agreeing a deal.

“We were made an offer but the offer was miles off what would be accepted for that kind of fight, and we're talking miles off,” Maree said.

“We believe Shakiel Thompson is a future world champion, we don't need to just jump into a fight that we don't need to take.

“We believe that - built in his own right - he’ll be a world champion so the offer would need to be fantastic for us to come off that path and the offer that we've had is certainly not fantastic. If you're talking about fighting a two belt holder in his home city, in his home country, a very special fighter, the offer would have to be tremendous.

“It’s certainly not that.”

Maree heads one of the busiest and most successful stables in British boxing and represents a whole host of championship caliber fighters.

He believes that Thompson will be the next to graduate to the big leagues. The 6ft 3in tall southpaw has followed Maree’s tried and tested plan and worked his way up the WBO rankings, where he currently sits at number nine.

Last year was something of a breakthrough year for the 27 year-old. He scored three eye catching knockouts, the pick of which being a three round demolition of former English title challenger, River Wilson-Bent, in September.

He is scheduled to make his latest appearance on GBM’s upcoming show which takes place in Sheffield on February 7th.

“I believe that Shakiel Thompson is very special,” Maree said.

“As I've proven with other fighters over the last few years, when I say that and I bring them through it tends to be right and I think Shakiel Thompson is the next one so we will build him properly unless somebody wants to offer the kind of money that would take us off that path and, at the moment, the money being offered is certainly miles off that.”