Gennady Golovkin has given up the idea of facing Canelo Alvarez this year as he is about to finalize a deal to face mandatory challenger Daniel Jacobs on Dec. 10 following Alvarez' statement that he is done with boxing this year due to injury.

Astana - As he laid flowers recently at the grave of Uzbek strongman Islam Karimov, neighbouring Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev could have been forgiven an extra pause for thought.

Unbeaten British IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook succumbed to Gennady Golovkin's awesome punching power after his corner threw in the towel in the fifth round of their middleweight title fight Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London, England.

Almaty - Ex-Soviet Uzbekistan's new interim president Shavkat Mirziyoyev has ruled out military alliances, the government said Friday, following the same course as the late veteran strongman Islam Karimov.

Almaty - As ex-Soviet Uzbekistan waits anxiously for a presidential vote following the death of Islam Karimov, one man has a clear lead in the race to succeed the long-reigning autocrat.

Almaty - Uzbekistan's parliament approved Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev as acting president on Thursday, a government website reported, in the clearest sign yet he could take over long term after the death of veteran strongman Islam Karimov.

Before plunging into his rigorous training for the Golovkin fight, IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook had a little to no chance at all to win because of the disparity in their individual career records and the huge difference in their fighting weights.

Almaty - With its simple menu and casual atmosphere, the Training Cafe looks like many other local eateries in Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty.But unlike the others, its 40-person staff is exclusively composed of patients from local psychiatric institutions.

Almaty - Kazakhstan said Wednesday it had arrested 21 members of radical groups plotting terror attacks in public places, after two deadly attacks that fuelled fears of rising extremism.

Less than three weeks before his ring date with IBF light middleweight titlist Liam Smith, Mexican boxing star Canelo Alvarez continues to suffer backlash from boxing fans about his decision to pick Smith over Gennady Golovkin for his next fight.

IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook is moving up two weight classes to land a lucrative fight against knockout artist Gennady Golovkin on Sept. 10 at The O2 Arena in London, England.

IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook has been tagged as the underdog in his upcoming fight against unbeaten unified middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin but halfway to his training he believes he would be fiercer as he moves up to the 160 pounds limit.

Astana - Turkey's ambassador to Kazakhstan on Friday warned the Central Asian country over its schools linked to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government blames for this month's coup attempt.

Almaty - Two multiple-target attacks in as many months have shaken Kazakhstan's reputation for stability and led to fears that home-grown radicalism could be on the rise in the ex-Soviet republic.

Almaty - Security forces in Kazakhstan arrested two men suspected of gunning down five people in attacks on a police station and a security building on Monday in the country's largest city Almaty.

In the blink of an eye, IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook of England found himself facing WBA (Super), WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in the ring on Sept. 10 at the The O2 Arena in London, England.

Baikonur - Three astronauts blasted off into the early morning sky in an upgraded Soyuz spacecraft from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome Thursday, heading towards the International Space Station.

Astana - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Friday blamed radical islamists for deadly shootings that left seven dead in the west of the oil-rich Central Asian state.

Astana - Oil-rich Kazakhstan on Friday accused organisers of anti-land reform demonstrations last week of trying to overthrow the Central Asian country's government.

It took Saul "Canelo" Alvarez five rounds to find his range against the fast-moving Amir Khan as he unleashed a big right hand to Khan's face in the sixth round when the 29-year-old Briton failed to raise his left hand to block Alvarez's power shot.