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Kazakhstan’s Janibek Alimkhanuly defended his WBO middleweight world title with an impressive second-round knockout of Canada’s Steven Butler.<\/span><\/p>\n The 30-year-old caught Butler with a left hook and followed with a series of lefts, flooring Butler three times before the referee stopped the bout.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Unbeaten southpaw Alimkhanuly now has 14 wins with nine knockouts.<\/span><\/p>\n Afterwards he called out Mexico’s Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and American Jermall Charlo.<\/span><\/p>\n Alvarez is the undisputed super-middleweight champion, while Charlo holds the WBC middleweight belt.<\/span><\/p>\n “Champions and boxing superstars, where are you?” Alimkhanuly said. <\/span><\/p>\n “I’m the most avoided fighter. I’m the middleweight king.<\/span><\/p>\n “Canelo and Charlo, I’m coming. I’m ready for anybody, any time, anywhere.”<\/span><\/p>\n On the same card in Stockton, California, Australia’s Jason Moloney won his first world title with a majority decision win over Vincent Astrolabio for the vacant WBO bantamweight belt.<\/span><\/p>\n The 32-year-old from Melbourne won on two judges’ cards, 115-113 and 116-112, while the third had the fight as a draw. <\/span><\/p>\n Elsewhere, American Rolando Romero beat Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso in Las Vegas in a controversial ninth-round stoppage to win the vacant WBA super lightweight title.<\/span><\/p>\n Referee Tony Weeks stopped the bout in the ninth round with Romero swinging but seemingly not landing against Barroso.<\/span><\/p>\n “He was a warrior. He wanted to keep going. He should have been able to keep going,” Romero said after his win.<\/span><\/p>\n His win was his 15th in 16 fights and means he takes the world title on his debut in the division.<\/span><\/p>\n Romero was set to meet unbeaten world title holder Alberto Puello but the Dominican returned a positive A-sample for a performance-enhancing substance last month and was made a “champion in recess” on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n Floored in the third round, Romero knocked down Barroso at the start of the ninth, although the South American called it a push.<\/span><\/p>\n “He [the referee] just stopped the fight. He didn’t tell me anything,” Barroso said. <\/span><\/p>\n “You could see it clearly. I was hitting him. There was nothing he was hitting me with clearly. I don’t understand.”<\/span><\/p>\n