WBC QUARTERLY REPORT ABOUT CONVENTION RULING ON EACH DIVISION.
Heavyweight. World champion: Deontay Wilder (US)
No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin of Russia, who also holds the WBC Silver title, is scheduled to fight Mariusz Wach tonight in Kazan, Russia. A representative for Povetkin told the assembly that Povetkin will not be ready for his mandatory title challenge in January, when it’s due, but if he wins tonight, he will be ready in April or May. If Povetkin loses tonight, the WBC will address the mandatory situation. A voluntary title defense was approved for Wilder on January 16. The mandatory must take place from, 90-120 days after the January 16 bout. If any of the contenders sustain an injury, an interim might be ordered between Povetkin and a fighter determined by the WBC.
- Povetkin defeated Mariusz Wach by TKO12.
- Wilder defeated Spilka by KO9.
- Wilder vs. Povetkin – mandatory – purse offer February 26, won by World of Boxing.
- Johann Duhaupas-Robert Helenius fight was approved for the silver on April 2.
Cruiserweight. World champion: Grigory Drozd (Russia)
Drozd is scheduled to make his mandatory title defense against No. 1 ranked Ilunga Makabu of Congo in March.
- Durodola defeated Kudryashov by TKO2 and won the Silver title.
- The WBC did not approve a requested fight between Roy Jones and Enzo Macarinnelli for the Diamond Belt.
- Grigory Drozd vs. Ilunga Makabu mandatory – April 8 in Moscow
Lt. heavyweight. World champion: Adonis Stevenson (Canada)
The WBC ordered a mandatory title defense last year against WBC Diamond champion Sergey Kovalev of Russia in what would be one of the biggest fights possible. An agreement was not reached between the fighters’ representatives, but the WBC continues to fully support both parties in their continued negotiations for this super fight. In order to determine a mandatory challenger, No. 1 ranked NABF champion Isaac Chilemba of Malawi will fight No. 2 ranked WBC Silver champion Eleider Alvarez of Colombia in a final eliminator on November 28 in Quebec City.
- Stevenson vs. Kovalev proposal
- Eleider Alvarez defeated Isaac Chilemba by D12 in a defense of his silver title and final eliminator.
Supermiddleweight. World champion: Badou Jack (Gambia/Sweden)
Jack is in a voluntary stage – he successfully defended the title against mandatory challenger George Groves on September 12. Jack stated at this convention that he wants to make a voluntary title defense against former WBC middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., who is also at this convention, said that his son also wants the fight.
- George Groves appealed the result of his fight versus Badou Jack.
- Badou Jack vs. Julio Cesar Chavez is proposed
- Callum Smith defeated Rocky Fielding by TKO1 for the silver title.
- Callum Smith vs. Haddillah Mohoumadi was requested as a final eliminator for the supermiddleweight title to be held on April 2 in Liverpool.
- George Groves vs. Andrea Di Luisa bout was set as for the vacant WBC International supermiddeweight, but Groves informed the fight to be at light heavyweight.
- The WBC Board of Governors voted in favor of sanctioning Callum Smith vs. Hadillah Mohoumadi as a final eliminator to determine the mandatory contender of the division and it will take place on April 2 in Liverpool.
- Groves’ side protested the decision to sanctioning Smith vs. Mohoumadi for the WBC final eliminator and not taking the second available ranked leading contender George Groves into consideration. It was not granted.
- George Groves defeated Andrea Di Luisa by TKO but it was not for the vacant WBC International supermiddleweight, since Groves did not make the weigh.
Middleweight. World champion: Miguel Cotto (Puerto Rico)
Interim Champion: Gennady Golovkin (Kazakhstan)
Cotto is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense against No. 1 ranked former super welterweight world champion Canelo Alvarez on November 21, with the winner committed to make a mandatory defense against WBC interim champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan.
- The WBC withdrew recognition of the WBC champion Miguel Cotto.
- Miguel Cotto and Roc Nation appeal
- Alvarez defeated Miguel Cotto by UD12
- Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin signed a mutual agreement to make a voluntary defense of their corresponding championships. A 15-day free negotiation period will be ordered. If there is no agreement, a purse offer will be conducted.
- Gennady Golovkin vs. Dominic Wade for the interim April 23.
- Saul Alvarez vs. Amir Khan – voluntary May 7
Super welterweight and welterweight world titles: Vacant
In honor of his incredible career that spanned almost 19 years and in which he won WBC world titles in five weight divisions, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was awarded the WBC Lifetime Achievement Award here yesterday and named Champion Emeritus in the super welterweight and welterweight divisions. With Mayweather’s recent retirement, both titles are now vacant. The WBC has ordered tournaments in both divisions to determine the world champions, and will contact the representatives of the top-rated fighters in both divisions to determine their participants. The WBC is currently preparing the guidelines for the tournaments.
Superwelterweight.
- Hatley defeated Mundine by TKO11 and won the Silver title.
- Jermell Charlo vs. John Jackson for the vacant title.
- Demetrius Andrade vs. Charley Hatley for the first mandatory. Parties informed that they have an agreement in place.
- Vanes Martirosyan vs. Julian Williams. semifinal elimination. Williams withdrew from participating and fought for another organization process.
- Ishe Smith vs. Jorge Cota – semi-final elimination
- The winners of the two semi-final eliminations will fight each other for the wildcard.
- Austin Trout placed as wildcard.
Welterweight
- Danny Garcia defeated Robert Guerrero by KO9 and won the vacant welterweight title.
- Sammy Vasquez defeated Aaron Martinez by TKO 6 in a semi-final elimination
- Miguel Barrionuevo defeated Cosio by TKO5 in a semi-final elimination.
- The winner of Sammy Vasquez vs. Miguel Barrionuevo will determine the wildcard.
- Ray Robinson is positioned as wildcard.
- Amir Khan mandatory contender to Danny Garcia and will decide if he will use this right after his May 7 fight.
- Lamont Peterson vs. Andre Berto –final elimination to determine the second mandatory – purse offer February 26 – Berto has withdrew from his position.
Super lightweight. World champion: Viktor Postol (Ukraine)
Since Postol won the vacant title – with a sensational performance against Lucas Matthysse on October 3, he is required to make two mandatory defenses according to WBC rules. No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Amir Imam of the U.S. is contracted to fight on November 28 in Quebec City, so Postol was approved for a voluntary defense, with the winner of that fight to next make the first mandatory defense. The second mandatory challenger is to be determined.
- Postol one voluntary defense.
- Winner to fight Amir Imam mandatory challenger, but Imam lost.
- Imam to fight in a final elimination bout.
Lightweight. World champion: Jorge Linares (Venezuela)
Linares won the vacant title on December 30, 2014, and made his first mandatory defense against Kevin Mitchell. Dejan Zlaticanin of Montenegro is his second mandatory challenger, and the WBC will start the process for free negotiations for that fight on its return to Mexico City after this convention.
- Linares vs. Dejan Zlaticanin – mandatory
- Linares injured and an interim championship was ordered between Dejan Zlaticanin and Emiliano Marsili – purse offer March 18.
- Franklin Mamani vs. Chad Bennett for the silver on April 30 in China
Super featherweight. World champion: Takashi Miura (Japan)
Miura is scheduled to make a defense against No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Francisco Vargas of Mexico on November 21 in Las Vegas.
- Francisco Vargas defeated Takashi Miura by TKO9 and won the superfeatherweight title.
- Juli Giner vs. Miguel Roman final eliminator – purse offer March 18
Featherweight. World champion: Gary Russell Jr. (US)
Russell was scheduled to make a voluntary title defense against Oscar Escandon of Colombia on November 14, but it was confirmed at the convention today that Russell was injured in training and the fight has been cancelled. No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Robinson Castellanos of Mexico, who also holds the WBC Silver title, had accepted a step-aside agreement so that Russell could make the voluntary defense against Escandon. The WBC today approved Castellanos vs. Escandon for the interim featherweight world title.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman commented, “The interim champion concept was created for unique situations, basically for when a champion is injured or when a champion has a legal contractual situation that does not allow him to be active. The WBC, with much regret, has seen the concept of the interim championships be diminished, and it has become a circus in some parts of the world. The WBC has limited, very much, the interim championships. However, in this case, I believe there’s merit. I’m very surprised and I’m very sorry to hear the news about Russell’s injury, because Russell and Escandon were supposed to fight in September, then it was moved to October, and then it was moved to November.”
- Ronny Rios defeated Velez by UD10 for the Silver title.
- Leo Santa Cruz defeated Kiko Martinez on February 27, special event in Californa
- Oscar Escandon defeated Robinson Castellanos by TKO7 to win the interim championship.
- Gary Russell vs. Patrick Hyland voluntary on April 16 and the winner must fight Oscar Escandon next.
Super bantamweight. World champion: Julio Ceja (Mexico)
Ceja won the vacant title on August 29, 2015. The WBC today approved final eliminators to determine the two mandatory challengers.
In one, No. 1 ranked Qiu Xiao Jun of China, who also holds the WBC Silver title, will fight ranked No. 4 ranked Alexis Kabore of Burkina Faso, who also holds the WBC International title.
In the other, No. 2 ranked Rey Vargas of Mexico will fight No. 3 ranked Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba.
- Qiu Xiao Jun defeated Belahdj Ali by TKO11 for the silver title
Gavin McDonnell defeated Jorge Sanchez by UD12 for the silver Feb. 27 in U. K.
Number 1 rated Qiu Xiao Jun vs. number 4 rated Alexis Cabore – fight ordered but Jun fought for another organization
Number 2 rated Rey Vargas vs. number 3 rated Guillermo Rigondeaux – fight ordered without response.
- Hugo Ruiz defeated Julio Ceja on Feb. 27 in California by KO1 with Ceja injured foot.
Bantamweight. World champion: Shinsuke Yamanaka (Japan)
The WBC ordered a final eliminator between No. 1 ranked Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand, who also holds the Asian Boxing Council title, and No. 2 ranked Anselmo Moreno of Panama to determine the mandatory challenger. The WBC has been advised that Yamanaka might vacate the title to move up in weight. If that is the case, the Rungvisai-Moreno fight would be for the vacant WBC world title.
- Yamanaka defeated Liborio Solis by UD12 on March 4, Japan
- Suriyan Sor Rungvisair vs. Anselmo Moreno – final eliminator and vacant silver title – April 30 2016
Super flyweight. World champion: Carlos Cuadras (Mexico)
Cuadras is contracted to make a voluntary defense against No. 2 ranked Koki Eto of Japan on November 28 in Miyagi, Japan, with the winner to next make a defense against No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand, who also holds the WBC Silver title.
- Cuadras defeated Koki Eto by UD12 in a voluntary fight
- Cuadras vs. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai mandatory
- Rungvisai agrees to a voluntary defense by Cuadras.
Flyweight. World champion: Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua)
A final eliminator was ordered between No. 1 ranked Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai of Thailand and Edgar Sosa of Mexico to determine the mandatory challenger, but Gonzalez made a voluntary defense against Sosa instead and the mandatory challenger was not determined. In view of this situation, the WBC approved Sor Rungvisai as mandatory challenger.
- Roman Gonzalez vs. McWilliams Arroyo – on April 23 in California
- Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai mandatory
Light flyweight. World champion: Pedro Guevara (Mexico)
Guevara is currently in a voluntary stage. The WBC approved a final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger between No. 1 ranked Jonathan Inguito Taconing of the Philippines, who also holds the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title, and No. 4 ranked Juan Hernandez of Mexico.
- Yu Kimura defeated Pedro Guevara by SD12 and won the Lt. Flyweight title
- Ganigan Lopez defeated Yu Kimura and won the title in a voluntary defense on March 4 in Japan.
- Ricardo Perez Will fight on March 18 in Quintana Roo – non title
Minimumweight. World champion: Wanheng Menayothin (Thailand)
Menayothin is scheduled to make a voluntary defense against No. 9 ranked Young Kil Bae of South Korea on November 24 in Chonburi, Thailand, and is scheduled to fight again next February. The WBC approved a final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger between No. 1 ranked Denver Cuello of the Philippines and No. 2 ranked Saul Juarez of Mexico on December 5. If the winner of the eliminator is not ready to fight again in February, the winner of Menayothin-Young will be allowed a voluntary defense.
- Saul Juarez vs Osvaldo Novoa final elimination fight ended in a draw in 1 round
- Menayothin defeated Go Odaira on March 3 in Thailand – voluntary
- Juarez vs. Novoa fnal eliminator for the mandatory challenger – on March 18.
