WBC Gives Massive Update On World Title Situations For Every Weight Class

The WBC has given a major update regarding the world title situations of every weight class.

During the WBC Convention, a number of fights and title eliminators were ordered and announced several mandatory challengers for multiple title. Below is a breakdown of the WBC world title situation in every weight class.

Heavyweight: Champion Deontay Wilder is scheduled to defend his belt against Luis Ortiz on November 23 in the main event of a FOX pay-per-view in Las Vegas with the sanctioning body approving a planned rematch between Wilder and Tyson Fury for 2020, provided that Wilder retains his title against Ortiz. As for the mandatory challenger situation regarding Dillian Whyte, his drug test failure is still being investigated by the UKAD. With no timetable for a resolution in place, Whyte can become the mandatory challenger for February 2021 if a resolution is reached.

Cruiserweight: With the title still vacant after Oleksandr Usyk surrendered it months ago, the WBC has elected to approve a fight between Ilunga Makabu and Krszysztof Glowacki for the world championship, though that fight has no date. As for the World Boxing Super Series finals between Mairis Briedis and Yunier Dorticos, which originally was going to have the WBC title on the line, Briedis’ Diamond belt will be on the line, but that fight also has no date set as well.

Light Heavyweight: With Artur Beterbiev stopping Oleksandr Govzdyk to unify the IBF and WBC titles, the mandatory challenger situation is a little complicated from the WBC side. First, Beterbiev is expected to fight Meng Fanlong, the IBF’s mandatory challenger. Fanlong’s promoters requested the WBC to sanction their eventual fight for the WBC belt as well. The WBC then stated an unannounced bout between Jean Pascal and Badou Jack will be a WBC title eliminator.

Super Middleweight: There was some doubt as to whether or not Avni Yildirim would remain the mandatory challenger to David Benavidez’s WBC title after failing a drug test, but that was resolved when Yildirim was cleared and kept his status. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn tried to request the WBC to order a fight between Benavidez and WBA champion Callum Smith, who also holds the WBC Diamond belt, but that did not go through. The WBC did make a provisional request to have the winner of Benavidez vs. Yildirim make one voluntary title defense before confirming Smith as the WBC’s next mandatory challenger.

Middleweight: WBC Franchise champion Canelo Alvarez is going to move up two weight classes to fight WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev on November 2. WBC world champion Jermall Charlo will defend his title against Dennis Hogan on December 7. Two weeks after the Charlo vs. Hogan fight, the WBC will address the mandatory title situation.

Junior Middleweight: With unified champion Tony Harrison defending his title against Jermell Charlo on a yet to be announced date, the WBC has approved a final eliminator between Erickson Lubin and Sergio Garcia. Lubin is currently scheduled to fight Nathaniel Gallimore on October 26.

Welterweight: After unified champion Errol Spence Jr. recovers from injuries due to his car accident weeks ago, he will defend his title against Danny Garcia, who was named the new mandatory challenger to the title. Afterwards, Spence will defend his titles against the IBF’s mandatory challenger, which is currently Kudratillo Abdukakhorov.

Junior Welterweight: Unified champion Jose Ramirez will make his next title defense against WBC mandatory challenger Viktor Postol in 2020. Diamond beltholder and WBA champion Regis Progrias will fight IBF champion Josh Taylor on October 26 in the World Boxing Super Series finals.

Lightweight: With the news that Vasiliy Lomachenko has been named the second-ever Franchise champion, Devin Haney has been elevated from interim titleholder to full world champion. Lomachenko is expected to fight the winner of the Richard Commey vs. Teofimo Lopez fight for the IBF title. Haney is scheduled to fight on November 9 on the undercard of the KSI vs. Logan Paul 2 fight. A fight between Javier Fortuna and Jesus Cuellar taking place on November 2 will serve as a final eliminator for Haney’s new world title.

Super Featherweight: Miguel Berchelt will defend his title against Jason Sosa on November 9 in a voluntary defense. The previously announced fight between Oscar Valdez and Andres Gutierrez has been approved as a final eliminator with the winner of the aforementioned two fights ordered to fight each other next.

Featherweight: Titleholder Gary Russell Jr. has been ordered to fight mandatory challenger Tugstsogt Nyambayar next but no date is set.

Super Bantamweight: After Rey Vargas successfully defended his world title against Tomoki Kameda in July, he is now able to make a voluntary title defense.

Bantamweight: When Nordine Oubaali won the vacant WBC title in January, he adopted two mandatory title defenses. The first one is against interim titleholder Takuma Inoue on November 7 and the second being against Luis Nery, who is fighting Emmanuel Rodriguez on November 23.

Super Flyweight: Juan Francisco Estrada will unify his WBC title with Kal Yafai’s WBA title in January 2020. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai has been named the mandatory challenger to the WBC title, but there is no word on whether or not Sor Rungvisai will get his title opportunity after the Estrada vs. Yafai fight.

Flyweight: With the world title vacant, Julio Cesar Martinez and Cristofer Rosales are going to fight for the belt in December. When it comes to the mandatory challenger situation, a final eliminator between Junto Nakatani and McWilliams Arroyo has been ordered.

Light Flyweight: After successfully retaining his WBC title in July, Ken Shiro is in a period where he is able to make a voluntary title defense. Shiro will fight IBF champion Felix Alvarado on December 23 in a title unification.

Minimumweight: Wanheng Menayothin will defend his title against mandatory challenger Simpiwe Koncko on October 25. Both fighters successfully made weight for the fight.