Even at his advanced age, Erislandy Lara remains one of boxing’s best middleweights.

The 42-year-old Lara’s legs aren’t what they once were, but the cerebral Cuban changed his style to adapt to physical limitations and still dominated Danny Garcia in his last fight. The WBA 160-pound champion is the only opponent to stop Garcia, a two-division champion who lost by technical knockout when he declined to continue after the ninth round in September 2024.

Lara has boxed only three times in the past 4½ years. The skillful southpaw’s inactivity aside, Lara hasn’t lost since Jarrett Hurd edged him by split decision in their action-packed junior middleweight match in April 2018 and has faced a respectable list of former champions.

Janibek Alimkhanuly appreciates Lara’s willingness to fight him December 6 in San Antonio and respects all Lara has accomplished as a pro and amateur. The strong southpaw just doesn’t think Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) will test him the way Lara’s resume and experience suggest he can.

“In my past I fought a lot of guys who was [left-handed] in my amateur and pro [careers],” Alimkhanuly said during a virtual press conference recently. “Even when I was an amateur boxer, I was watching a lot of fighting already in the pros. So, I know his style, I know what he can do, I know what he cannot do. I don’t think it’s gonna be a difficult bout for me.”

Whereas Lara dropped decisions to Hurd, Canelo Alvarez and Paul Williams during his 17-year pro career, Kazakhstan’s Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KOs) hasn’t even come close to losing since he turned pro nine years ago. Alimkhanuly, who owns the IBF and WBO middleweight titles, is also 10 years younger than Lara and ranked No. 1 among The Ring’s top 10 contenders for an unclaimed championship.

Lara nevertheless assured Alimkhanuly during the aforementioned press conference that their fight for three middleweight crowns won’t be nearly as easy as his confident opponent seems to think.

“Look, all I have to say for Janibek is like, look, you can think whatever you want,” Lara said. “Let’s see on December 6th if you’re ready for what’s coming. Let’s see if it’s as easy as you think it’s gonna be, because you’re gonna be in for a big surprise – I can tell you that.”

FanDuel lists Alimkhanuly as almost a 5-1 favorite to beat Lara in the 12-round co-feature of a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view show Amazon’s Prime Video will distribute in the United States ($74.99). The winner would need only the WBC belt held by the Dominican Republic’s Carlos Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) to become undisputed middleweight champion.

Lamont Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, will meet Mexico City’s Issac Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) in the 12-round main event that night at Frost Bank Center, the home arena of the NBA’s Spurs. Cruz will defend his WBC interim 140-pound title against Roach, the WBA 130-pound champion who will make his debut at the junior welterweight limit.