Updates From Day 3 of WBC Convention

The third day of the World Boxing Council’s annual convention was convened Wednesday morning by Executive Director Mauricio Sulaiman, but before any boxing business was discussed at the general assembly meeting, everyone’s thoughts were focused on heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov of Russia, who was seriously injured in his fight last Saturday night.

North American Boxing Federation President Duane Ford of the United States proposed that his and the other nine Continental Federations that make up the WBC, along with other WBC Committees, donate money to help Magomed’s family with medical expenses.

The NABF donated $1,000, an amount that was matched by the Continental Americas Championships, headed by Sam Macias and Craig Hubble of the U.S., WBC Youth Championships Chairman Rex Walker of the U.S., African Boxing Union President Houcine Houichi of Tunisia, British Boxing Board of Control President Charles Giles of the U.K., South American Boxing Federation President Carlos Rodriguez of Argentina, Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation President Yenkow Hayashi of Japan, CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau President Miraslav Popovic of Serbia, Central American Boxing Federation and Latin American Championships President Alberto Guerra of Panama, Caribbean Boxing Federation President Peter Abdool of Guyana, Silver Championships Chairman Mike George of the U.S., USNBC Championships Chairman Robert Lenhardt of the U.S., and the WBC Membership Committee. European Boxing Union President Bob Logist of Belgium donated €800, and Female Championships Chairman Ed Pearson of Canada pledged $2000. $2500 was donated by International Championships Chairman Mauro Betti of Italy, and $2,500 by Baltic Championships Chairman Mikhail Denisov of Russia.

A personal donation of $1,125 was made by Convention Committee Chairman Chuck Williams of the U.S., and $500 each was donated by WBC General Counselor at Large Avel Gonzalez of the U.S., Ratings Appeals Chairman Bismarck Morales of Nicaragua, World Medical Advisory Board General Coordinator Dr. Ramon Garcia-Septien of the U.S., judge Joel Scobe of the U.S., and judge Thomas Nardone of the U.S.

Several promoters in attendance at the assembly also generously contributed $28,875 for a total of $54,000 that will go directly to Magomed’s family.

Much of the day was devoted to mandatory world title defenses.

The mandatory challenger for heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine is Bermane Stiverne of Canada. Stiverne and his promoter, Camille Estephan, however, were traveling to Bangkok today, and their mandatory fight will be addressed in Thursday’s general assembly.

Cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk of Poland is scheduled to fight No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Giacobbe Fragomeni of Italy on December 6 in Chicago.

Light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson of Canada is scheduled to make his mandatory title defense against No. 1 ranked Tony Bellew of the U.K. on November 30 in Montreal.

Super middleweight world champion Sakio Bika of Australia won the vacant title in June, and is required to make two mandatory defenses. He is scheduled to fight mandatory challenger Anthony Dirrell of the U.S. on December 7 in Brooklyn, and the winner of that fight has been approved for one voluntary defense. No. 1 ranked Marco Antonio Periban of Mexico will fight No. 3 ranked James De Gale of the U.K., with the winner of that fight to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. of Mexico in a final eliminator to determine the second mandatory challenger.

Middleweight world champion Sergio Martinez of Argentina is currently still recovering from hand and knee injuries. Oswaldo Kuchle, the promoter of No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio of Mexico, has agreed to wait 30 days to determine if Martinez is able to make his mandatory defense. If Martinez is not able to fight, then a fight for the interim world title between Rubio and No. 2 ranked Domenico Spada of Italy was accepted and acknowledged by Kuchle.

Super welterweight and welterweight world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the U.S. is currently in voluntary stages for both world titles, but must decide to keep one title or the other by December 15.

Super lightweight world champion Danny Garcia of the U.S. is in a voluntary stage. A final eliminator to determine the next mandatory challenger was approved between No. 1 ranked Viktor Postal of Ukraine and No. 2 ranked Selcuk Aydin of Turkey.

Lightweight world champion Adrien Broner of the U.S. also holds the welterweight title of another organization. His request was approved to wait until after his next fight, scheduled for December 14, to decide which title he will keep. No. 1 ranked Silver champion Daniel Estrada of Mexico is the mandatory challenger. Since more than two mandatory periods have passed without a mandatory title defense, No. 2 ranked Denis Shafikov of Russia will fight No. 3 ranked Nihito Arakawa of Japan to determine the second mandatory challenger.

The mandatory challenger for super featherweight world champion Takashi Miura of Japan is Devis Boschiero of Italy. Due to legal requirements, Boschiero must secure his visa to enter Japan. If he unable to do so, Boschiero will fight No. 3 ranked Edgar Puerta of Mexico in Mexico. Miura has a voluntary title defense scheduled for December 31 in Tokyo against No. 2 ranked Dante Jardon of Mexico.

The promoters of the mandatory defense of featherweight world champion Jhonny Gonzalez of Mexico and No. 1 ranked Abner Mares of Mexico have a contractual dispute. They have 15 days to continue negotiations, and at the end of that period will notify the WBC of their status.

Super bantamweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz of Mexico is in a voluntary stage. A final eliminator between No. 1 ranked Hugo Cazares of Mexico and No. 3 ranked Andres Gutierrez of Mexico was approved to determine the next mandatory challenger. Cristian Mijares of Mexico and his promoter, Promociones Zanfer, are not in good standing with the WBC. The WBC will send them a letter giving them 15 days to cure the situation.

Bantamweight world champion Shinsuke Yamanaka of Japan has a voluntary defense scheduled against No. 11 ranked Alberto Guevara of Mexico on November 10 in Tokyo. An eliminator was approved for No. 3 ranked Stephane Jamoye of Belgium to fight No. 4 ranked Julio Ceja of Mexico, with the winner to fight No. 2 ranked Suriyan Sor Rungvisai of Thailand in a final eliminator to determined the mandatory challenger.

Super flyweight world champion Srisasket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand has a voluntary defense scheduled against No. 15 ranked Hirofumi Mukai of Japan on November 15 in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. No 1 ranked Silver champion Carlos Cuadras of Mexico is the mandatory challenger.

Flyweight world champion Akira Yaegashi of Japan is scheduled to make a mandatory title defense against No. 1 ranked Edgar Sosa of Mexico on December 6 in Tokyo.

Since more than two mandatory periods have passed since the last mandatory defense, light flyweight world champion Adrian Hernandez of Mexico must make two mandatory defenses, but is approved for a voluntary defense until a mandatory challenger is determined. The first mandatory challenger will be determined in an eliminator between No. 1 ranked Javier Mendoza of Mexico and No. 2 ranked Yodmongkil Wor Saengthep of Thailand. Eliminators were approved between No. 4 ranked Pedro Guevara of Mexico and No. 5 ranked Ganigan Lopez of Mexico, with the winner to fight No. 3 ranked Jonathan Inguito Taconing of the Philippines to determine the second mandatory challenger.

Strawweight world champion Xiong Zhao Zhong of China is in a voluntary stage until June. A final eliminator was approved between No. 1 ranked Wanheng Menayothin of Thailand and No. 2 ranked Osvaldo Novoa of Mexico to determined the mandatory challenger.

Several more promoters have arrived in Bangkok, including Barry Hearn, Bebot Elorde, Liu Gang, Salvador Briman, Reginaldo Kuchle, Ahmet Oner, Mauro Gazcon, Adam Harris/Hennessy Sport, Alain Vanockiu/12 Rounds Promotion, Rahilou Abdelilah, Christopher Malunga, and representatives of Canelo Promotions, Queensbury Promotions, Arakawa Promotions, Tinopolis Promotions Asia, and Tom Sarkis Promotions.

Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot has announced a limited edition production of 50 WBC World Champion watches that will be available in January for a price of $23,995 (US). An amount from their sale will be donated to the WBC Champions Fund, which has contributed money to former champions Gerald McClellan, Wilfred Benitez, Chartchai Chionoi, and others, and will include Magomed Abdusalamov.

Last September, Hublot and the WBC co-hosted an event at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas that included Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis, Jeff Fenech, Larry Holmes, Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Azumah Nelson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya and George Foreman. 12 unique watches were auctioned and raised $1 million for the WBC Champions Fund.

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