WBC Release Quarterly Report On Their Weight Divisions

WBC QUARTERLY REPORT ABOUT CONVENTION RULING ON EACH DIVISION – DECEMBER 2016. Each division ruling is in bold type, and the division activity follows on each case.

Heavyweight: Champion Deontay Wilder (United States)

When Wilder was injured in his last fight on July 16, an interim title fight was ordered between No. 1 ranked Alexander Povetkin of Russia and No. 2 ranked Bermane Stiverne of Haiti/Canada. Povetkin and Stiverne are fighting on Saturday, December 17, and the WBC will review the mandatory status after the fight.

• Alexander Povetkin tested positive for banned substance Osterine and the WBC withdrew recognition of the fight between Povetkin and Stiverne.
• Deontay Wilder defeated Washington by TKO5 in a voluntary defense of champion Wilder on February 25 in Alabama.
• Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne, mandatory defense – purse offer May 5 – split 70/30 in favor of champion.
• Dereck Chisora vs. Robert Helenius for the silver – May 27.

Cruiserweight: Champion Tony Bellew (Great Britain)

Bellew requested approval from the Board of Governors for a fight in the heavyweight division against David Haye, and the Board supported his request. Bellew will remain cruiserweight champion until he informs the WBC whether he will continue to fight as a heavyweight or return to the cruiserweight division. In the meantime, the WBC has ordered an interim title fight between No. 1 ranked Mairis Breidis of Latvia and No. 2 ranked Marco Huck of Germany. The free negotiation period starts today and if no agreement is reached, a purse offer will be held on January 14 or 15.

If Bellew decides to return to cruiserweight, the winner of the interim fight will be his mandatory challenger. If Bellew decides to continue at heavyweight, the winner of the interim fight will become world champion. Since the last mandatory defense took place in December, 2013, the WBC ordered a tournament between the top four available contenders to determine the next mandatory challenger.

• Bellew defeated David Haye by TKO11 in a special event on March 4.
• The WBC named Tony Bellew Emeritus Champion, and approved the fight between Breidis and Huck for the WBC Cruiserweight title.
• Mairis Briedis defeated Marco Huck by UD12 and won the vacant title, on April 1, 2017.
• Dmitry Kudryashov vs. Olanrewaju Durodola will fight for the silver and final elimination on June 3.

Light Heavyweight: Champion Adonis Stevenson (Haiti/Canada)

A request from promoter Yvon Michel was approved by the Board of Governors: No. 1 ranked WBC Silver champion Eleider Alvarez of Colombia will fight No. 6 ranked Lucian Bute of Canada on February 24 in a Silver title defense and final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger. Stevenson will make his mandatory defense against the winner on April 29.

• Alvarez defeated Lucian Bute by KO5 in a silver title defense and final eliminator fight on February 24.
• Alvarez stepped aside and Stevenson was granted a voluntary defense – Stevenson will fight Andrzej Fonfara on June 3.
• The winner of this voluntary defense will make the mandatory against Alvarez.
• A final elimination bout is ordered between Joe Smith and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Super middleweight: Champion Badou Jack (Gambia/Sweden)

Jack is scheduled for a title unification bout against IBF champion James Degale on January 14. The winner must make his mandatory defense against No. 1 ranked Callum Smith of Great Britain in his next fight. The free negotiation period begins on January 16.

• Badou Jack vs. James Degale fight ended in a draw, on January 14.
• Badou Jack decided to move up in weight and the title vas vacated.
• The WBC ordered Callum Smith vs. Anthony Dirrell for the vacant. Contract dispute has delayed the fight date.
• Avni Yildirim mandatory for winner
• David Benavidez vs. Rogelio Medina – eliminator on May 20.

Middleweight: Champion Gennady Golovkin (Kazakhstan)

Golovkin is in negotiations for a title unification bout against WBA champion Daniel Jacobs. The WBC ordered a four-man tournament between the highest available contenders to determine the mandatory challenger.

• Immanuwel Aleem defeated Ievgen Khytrov by TKO6 on January 14 and won the silver title.
• Gennady Golovkin defeated Daniel Jacobs by UD12 on March 18, in a voluntary defense.
• The WBC ordered Jorge Heiland vs. Jermall Charlo - final elimination to determine the mandatory contender.

Super Welterweight: Champion Jermell Charlo (United States)

Charlo won a vacant title and according to WBC rules, must make two mandatory title defenses. Promoter Tom Brown confirmed that Charlo will make his first mandatory defense against No. 2 ranked Charles Hatley of the United States on either February 11 or 19. No. 5 ranked Erickson Lubin of the United States is scheduled to fight No. 8 ranked Jorge Cota of Mexico on March 4, and the WBC ordered a fight between No. 3 ranked Vanes Martirosyan of the United States and the highest available contender. The winners of those two fights will fight each other in a final eliminator to determine the second mandatory challenger. Promoter Art Pelullo informed the WBC that No. 1 ranked Demetrius Andrade of the United States is scheduled to challenge for the WBA title and will not participate in an eliminator.

• Erickson Lubin defeated Jorge Cota by TKO4, on March 4 – first eliminator.
• Jermell Charlo defeated Charles Hatley by KO6 in a mandatory defense on April 22
• Vanes Martirosyan vs. Ishe Smith – final eliminator-
• Isaac Real vs. Sergio Garcia for the silver – June 10 in Spain.
• Jermell Charlo vs. Erickson Lubin is ordered.

Welterweight: Champion Danny Garcia (United States)

Garcia has a title unification fight against WBA champion Keith Thurman scheduled for March 4. No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Amir Khan of Great Britain has asked the WBC for time to consider his mandatory status. If Khan gives up his mandatory status, the WBC asked promoter Carl Moretti to find out if No. 2 ranked Timothy Bradley Jr. of the United States is interested in participating in a final eliminator against the highest available contender. Moretti said that he will report Bradley’s decision to the WBC in one week.

• Keith Thurman defeated Danny Garcia by SD12 and won the WBC welterweight title in a unification on March 4.
• Amir Khan inactivity has continued and his mandatory status lapsed.
• Timothy Bradley vs. the highest available contender in a final eliminator –Top Rank/Mr. Moretti will report Bradley’s decision in a week; did not accept to participate in the process.
• Thurman defeated Garcia by SD12
• Qudratillo Abduqaxorov defeated Charles Manyuchi by TKO1 and won the silver title on March 25 2017.
• Qudratillo Abduqaxorov vs. Dmitry Mikaylenko for the silver.
• Shawn Porter defeated Andre Berto by TKO9 in a final elimination on April 22.

Super Lightweight: Champion Terence Crawford (United States)

No. 1 ranked Antonio Orozco of the United States is scheduled to fight this Friday. If he wins, a final eliminator has been ordered between him and No. 3 ranked Amir Imam of the United States. Due to the long period of time since the last mandatory defense – September, 2013 – the WBC ordered a final eliminator between No. 2 ranked Viktor Postol of Ukraine and the highest available contender to determine the second mandatory challenger.

• Antonio Orozco did not fight and the eliminator fight against Amir Imam was ordered. Orozco withdrew from the process.
• Amir Imam is appointed official challenger.
• Crawford was granted a voluntary defense against Felix Diaz on May 20– the winner must fight Amir Imam.
• Viktor Postol vs. the highest available contender to determine the second mandatory challenger.
• Ohara Davis defeated Derry Matthews by TKO3 for the Silver on March 4.

Lightweight: Champion Dejan Zlaticanin (Montenegro)

Zlaticanin is scheduled to fight No. 2 ranked Mikey Garcia of the United States on January 28. The winner of that fight must fight Diamond champion Jorge Linares of Venezuela in his next fight.

• Mikey Garcia defeated Zlaticanin by KO3 in a voluntary defense of the champion, and won the title on January 28.
• Jorge Linares defeated Anthony Crolla by UD12 on March 25.
• Jorge Linares and Mikey Garcia a voluntary defense each, until the end of July, then the WBC will mandate the unification fight.

Super Featherweight: Champion Francisco Vargas (Mexico)

Vargas won the title in a mandatory challenge in November, 2015. After his voluntary defense on June 4, the WBC ordered six months of rest for him to allow his cuts to heal properly. He is scheduled to make a voluntary defense against No. 7 ranked Miguel Berchelt of Mexico on January 28, with the winner to make a mandatory defense next. On the same card, No. 1 ranked Takashi Miura of Japan will fight No. 2 ranked Miguel Roman of Mexico in a final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger.

• Miguel Berchelt defeated Francisco Vargas by TKO11 in a voluntary defense of Vargas and won the title on January 28.
• Takashi Miura defeated Miguel Roman by KO12 in an eliminator fight.
• Miguel Berchelt vs. Takashi Miura – mandatory defense – June 25.

Featherweight: Champion Gary Russell Jr. (United States)

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz confirmed that Russell will make his mandatory defense against interim champion Oscar Escandon of Colombia on February 11. The WBC ordered a final eliminator between No. 1 ranked Josh Warrington of Great Britain and No. 2 ranked Joseph Diaz Jr. of the United States to determine the next mandatory challenger.

Carl Frampton of Ireland and Leo Santa Cruz of the United States both requested that their fight on January 28 will be for the WBC Diamond Belt. The Board of Governors approved.

• Leo Santa Cruz defeated Carl Frampton by MD12 for the Diamond title on January 28.
• Russell vs. interim champion Oscar Escandon for the WBC Unification – May 27.

Super Bantamweight: Champion Vacant

The WBC ordered a fight for the vacant title between No. 1 ranked Rey Vargas of Mexico and No. 2 ranked Gavin McDonnell of Great Britain. According to WBC rules, the winner of a vacant title must make two mandatory defenses. The WBC ordered a final eliminator between No. 3 ranked Hugo Ruiz of Mexico and No. 4 ranked Julio Ceja of Mexico to determine the first mandatory challenger. A second final eliminator between No. 5 ranked Anselmo Moreno of Panama and No. 6 ranked Nonito Donaire of the Philippines was ordered to determine the second mandatory challenger. The WBC is waiting for Donaire to confirm if he will participate.

• Rey Vargas defeated Gavin McDonnell by MD12 and won the vacant title on February 25.
• Anselmo Moreno vs. Julio Ceja – final eliminator – May 27.

Bantamweight: Champion Shinsuke Yamanaka (Japan)

Yamanaka made a mandatory defense on September 16, 2016, and is now in a voluntary stage.

A final eliminator will be ordered in January between No. 1 ranked Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand and the highest available contender to determine the next mandatory challenger.

• Yamanaka defeated Carlos Carlson by KOT7 in a voluntary defense on March 2.
• Suriyan Sor Rungvisai tested positive under CBP.
• Luis Nery defeated Jesus Martinez by TKO in a final elimination and silver defense on March 11.
• Luis Nery mandatory.

Super Flyweight: Champion Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua)

Gonzalez has confirmed that he will have the rematch with No. 1 ranked Carlos Cuadras of Mexico in March. The winner must make a mandatory defense against No. 2 ranked Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand in his next fight.

• Srisaket Sor Rungvisai defeated Roman Gonzalez by MD12 in a mandatory fight on March 18 and won the superflyweight title.
• Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs. Roman Gonzalez rematch.
• Carlos Cuadras vs. Juan Francisco Estrada for the interim.
• Winners of both fights will face each other next.

Flyweight: Champion Vacant

No. 1 ranked Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai of Thailand will fight No. 2 ranked Juan Hernandez of Mexico for the vacant title in the first three months of 2017. No. 3 ranked Daigo Higa of Japan will be the first mandatory challenger. The WBC ordered No. 4 ranked Oscar Cantu of the United States to fight No. 5 ranked Muhammad Waseem of Pakistan in a final eliminator to determine the second mandatory challenger.

• Juan Hernandez defeated Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai by TKO3 and won the vacant title on March 4.
• Juan Hernandez – Daigo Higa first mandatory – May 20 in Japan
• Oscar Cantu-Rodriguez – second final eliminator.
• Muhammad Waseem to fight winner.

Light Flyweight: Champion Ganigan Lopez (Mexico)

Lopez made a mandatory title defense on July 2, 2016, and is now in a voluntary stage.

• Ganigan Lopez vs. Ken Shiro – May 20, Japan.

Minimumweight: Champion Wanheng Menayothin (Thailand)

Menayothin made a mandatory title defense on August 2, 2016, and is now in a voluntary stage.

• Menayothin defeated Melvin Jerusalem by UD12 in a voluntary defense on January 25.
• Saul Juarez vs. Leroy Estrada final elimination – May 27
• Wanhen Menayothin vs. Omar Kimweri – June 3.