The World Boxing Council hosted their 60th annual convention, in which they laid out plans and policy for their rankings and championships. The much-maligned governing body actually emerged from the festivities with more credit than you’d expect.
It had been feared the WBC would name 6-0 influencer Jake Paul in their world rankings, despite his record being built exclusively on ex-UFC fighters, basketball players and YouTubers. But ‘The Problem Child’ was absent from the new listings, in a rare display of common sense in the fractured kaleidoscope of sanctioning body politics.
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What did emerge from the convention were a number of ordered fights, both for titles and mandatory positions. These bouts are not guaranteed to happen, but they will be at least set in motion as WBC looks to fulfil title fights and fill mandatory slots.
Here are the highlights as The Sportsman considers what the WBC have in store for us over the coming months.
Benavidez-Plant Gets Final Eliminator Status
The previously-agreed super middleweight bout between unbeaten David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will now crown the mandatory challenger for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s WBC super middleweight championship. The Mexican, who also holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring titles, stopped Plant in 11 rounds a year ago.
The Benavidez bout is one that people have long craved for ‘Canelo’. The undefeated two-time world champion is arguably the only top-level 168-pounder Alvarez hasn’t fought. But Benavidez has his work cut out with Plant, who is a former champion in his own right and is coming off a spectacular ninth-round KO of Anthony Dirrell.
Stevenson Ordered To Face ‘Pitbull’
Two-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson is moving up to lightweight and the WBC have selected Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz as his first opponent. Stevenson doesn’t have to take the fight, but the prize on offer is a shot at undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney.
Cruz would be a stiff test for Shakur in his first 135lb foray. The Mexico City native took Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis to the limit in his only defeat, and boasts impressive KOs of Yuriorkis Gamboa and Diego Magdaleno. This route would deliver Stevenson a title shot in the quickest time, but not before taking on a tough challenge.
Lomachenko Finally Gets Undisputed Shot
Speaking of lightweights, Haney might not be the four-belt king by the time Stevenson or Cruz are ready for their title opportunity. ‘The Dream’ is in talks to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko for his championship next year.
‘The Matrix’ was meant to face previous champion George Kambosos Jr, but stepped away from the sport to join the military efforts in Ukraine. Haney ended up facing the Australian instead, relieving him of his titles. Now Lomachenko has the chance to make up for lost time, having won two fights on the comeback trail.
Ruiz-Wilder Winner Will Get Fury
Former heavyweight champions Andy Ruiz Jr and Deontay Wilder will square off with a shot at the WBC heavyweight title on the line. This exciting meeting of two of the world’s top heavyweights just got even bigger.
This is perhaps a strange call by the WBC. While nobody is doubting the quality of the men involved, the current WBC kingpin is Tyson Fury. This could mean Wilder embarking on a fourth fight with ‘The Gypsy King’, despite the fact he hasn’t won any of the previous three. Fury is already set for a tough-sell trilogy match with Derek Chisora. Another go-round with Wilder could kill his commercial credibility for good.
Spence Gets Thurman Consolation
Errol Spence Jr was in talks to face Terence Crawford in an undisputed welterweight title showdown. Sadly that long-awaited fight fell apart, with Crawford pivoting to a WBO title defence against David Avanesyan. Now WBC, IBF and WBA king Spence has been ordered to face mandatory Keith Thurman.
While Crawford’s alternative is a bit of a letdown, no offence to Avanesyan, Spence-Thurman is a hell of a fight on paper. ‘One Time’ has only lost once in his career, to Manny Pacquiao. A former unified champion with wins over Danny Garcia, Luis Collazo and Shawn Porter, he represents an exciting challenge for Spence. It’s not Crawford, but it’s the next best thing.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
