The World Boxing Council’s convention took place over the past week in Bangkok, Thailand; the Mexico City-based sanctioning organization’s 51st such event. One of the key topics of conversation included working out the various champion mandatories going forward.
Some of the big questions surrounded Vitali Klitschko, the organization’s incumbent heavyweight champion, Floyd Mayweather, who holds WBC titles at both junior middleweight and welterweight, and also Adrien Broner who is the WBC’s current lightweight titleholder although he is now fighting at welterweight.Heavyweight - While all the other divisions were discussed and worked out the day before, the committee waited for both Vitali Klitschko and the WBC’s No. 1 heavyweight contender Bermane Stiverne to both arrived to work out an agreement. Klitschko motioned that the he be allowed hold the title until Nov. 30 when he will issue a statement declaring his intentions. This was accepted by Stiverne’s promoter Camille Estephan, but things seldom run smoothly in boxing. Manuel Charr, the WBC’s No. 6 contender attended the convention and announced he had been in discussions with Don King, who had apparently announced that he would match Stiverne with Charr for a possible vacant or interim title. These allegations were denied by Estephan. Following and angry confrontation things were calmed down when Charr walked out of the hall. It is has been previously mentioned that Klitschko is hopeful of a March/April 2014 return.
Cruiserweight – Krzysztof Wlodarczyk will meet his mandatory challenger Giocobbe Fragomeni for the third time on the Dec. 6 in Chicago.
Light heavyweight - Adonis Stevenson looks to take care of his mandatory obligation on the Nov. 30 in Quebec City, Canada.
Super middleweight - Sakio Bika takes on Anthony Dirrell on Dec. 7 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Middleweight - Sergio Martinez has been granted until Dec. 15 to say how he’s recuperating from injuries suffered in his April defence against Martin Murray. If Martinez is going to be on the sidelines for a great amount of time then mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio will take on Domenico Spada for the interim title with the winner in line to face Martinez at the earliest possible date. [Editor’s note: It has been reported that Martinez’s advisor Sampson Lewkowicz has already made an offer to Rubio to face Martinez in South America if champion is not able to secure a big fight with Miguel Cotto for June 7.]
Junior middleweight - While Mayweather has no mandatory obligation at but he has been given until Dec. 15 to announce his intentions of either keeping his 154-pound title or his 147-pound crown.
Welterweight - Mayweather has no welterweight mandatory commitments. However he must vacate one of his titles. He will not be allowed to indefinitely hold both the 154- and 147-pound titles he currently holds.
Junior welterweight - Danny Garcia fulfilled his mandatory when he beat Lucas Matthysse back in September. However, representatives of both agreed in principle that Viktor Postol and Selcuk Aydin will meet in a final eliminator.
Lightweight - Broner has until Dec. 15 to decide if he will keep his lightweight title or stay at welterweight. The mandatory challenger is Mexican Daniel Estrada who would face Omar Figueroa if Broner vacates.
Super featherweight (junior lightweight) - Takashi Miura meets Dante Jardon in a voluntary defense on Dec. 31; the winner must face Devis Boschiero.
Featherweight - It was requested that Jhonny Gonzalez’s likely rematch with Abner Mares will be a mandatory defense; both Gonzalez promoter and Mares promoter have until Dec. 15 to broker a deal.
Super bantamweight (junior featherweight) - Leo Santa Cruz faces Cesar Seda on Dec. 14 in San Antonio in a voluntary defense. The current number No. 1 contender Hugo Fidel Cazares, a former junior flyweight and 115-pound champion, will meet unbeaten No. 2 contender Andres Gutierrez for the right to face Santa Cruz.
Bantamweight - Shinsuke Yamanaka fights this Sunday against Alberto Guevara. In turn, Stephane Jamoye will meet Julio Ceja with the winner to take on former WBC 115-pound champion Suriyan Sor Rungvisai in a final eliminator.
Super flyweight (junior bantamweight) - Srisaket Sor Rungvisai makes a voluntary defense on Nov. 15 against Hirofumi Mukai in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. The winner must face Carlos Cuadras.
Flyweight - Akira Yaegashi will face mandatory challenger Edgar Sosa on Dec. 6 in Tokyo, Japan.
Junior flyweight - Adrian Hernandez beat Atsushi Kakutani in a voluntary defense on Aug. 31. He must face the winner of Javier Mendoza and Yodmongkol Wor Saengthep. To decide the next mandatory Ganigan Lopez will fight Pedro Geuvara, the winner of which must then face Jonathan Taconing.
Strawweight - Xiong Zhao Zhong fights Omari Kimweri on Nov. 30 in Maguan, China. While Wanheng Menayothin meets Osvaldo Novoa to decide the next mandatory challenger.
In a good will gesture the WBC and many of his members donated $53,000 to Magomed Abdusalamov who’s tragically in a coma following last weekend’s fight with Mike Perez. If you wish to make a donation please visit.
By The Ring
Photo / Kirill Kudryavtsev-AFP
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