Tag: WBC

WBC orders fight between Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell for interim title

The WBC has ordered a fight between Nos. 2- and 3-ranked Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia for the sanctioning body’s interim lightweight title.

Ryan Garcia’s first genuine test could come against Luke Campbell.

The World Boxing Council has ordered a fight between Nos. 2- and 3-ranked Campbell and Garcia for the sanctioning body’s interim lightweight title.

No. 1-ranked Javier Fortuna was expected to face Campbell for that belt but Fortuna chose to fight Jorge Linares on Aug. 28 instead.

Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) has become a fan favorite after a series of knockouts, including a KO of the Year candidate against Francisco Fonseca on Feb. 14. However, he hasn’t faced an opponent of Campbell’s pedigree.

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and two-time title challenger, losing a split decision to Linares in 2017 and a unanimous decision to Vasiliy Lomachenko — Boxing Junkie’s No. 1 fighter pound for pound — last August. He’s left-handed.

“I’m finally getting to fight a southpaw my favorite fighters to fight! Bring it on luke Campbell,” Garcia said on Twitter.

That comment is encouraging for those who would like to see the matchup because the fighters must still come to terms. On top of that, Garcia is at odds with his promoter, Golden Boy. It’s not clear what, if any, role that could play going forward.

ESPN reported that Garcia and Golden Boy officials are scheduled to meet this week.

“We just got the letter today [from the WBC], so we’re in the process of talking to Ryan,” Golden Boy President Eric Gomez told ESPN. “We’re going to talk to his team, we’re going to see what he wants to do.

“That’s one of the guys he’s said repeatedly that he wants to fight,” said Gomez, referring to Campbell.

Also, the WBC’s handling of the lightweight division is an example of how absurd the ranking system can be.

Lomachenko is the “franchise” champion, meaning he doesn’t have mandatories. Devin Haney a world champion even though he fits in below the Ukrainian star. Fortuna and Linares are fighting for what the WBC calls its “Diamond Belt,” whatever that is. And Campbell-Garcia would be for the interim belt.

Tyson Fury’s Top 5 heavyweights today … and mine

Tyson Fury recently revealed his Top 5 heavyweights today on a WBC video.

Tyson Fury recently named his Top 5 heavyweights in a World Boxing Council video.

Here is his list:

No. 1 Tyson Fury
No. 2 Deontay Wilder
No. 3 Anthony Joshua
No. 4 Oleksandr Usyk
No. 5 Dillian Whyte

Reasonable list, but I wonder whether he’s trying to sell his third fight with Wilder by placing him at No. 2, ahead of Joshua.

Here’s my list:

No. 1 Fury
No. 2 Joshua
No. 3 Wilder
No. 4 Whyte
No. 5 Andy Ruiz Jr.

Here are some thoughts.

No. 1: No-brainer. Fury, coming off his knockout of Wilder in their rematch in February, is hands down the top big man today.

No. 2: Wilder can argue that he was stopped by a much better opponent (Fury) than the one who knocked out Joshua (Ruiz). True. However, Joshua bounced back to outpoint Ruiz. He also has a deeper resume than that of Wilder.

No. 3: Wilder shouldn’t be written off because of the setback against Fury, although it will be difficult to reverse that result when they meet for a third time. Otherwise, he has been dominating.

No. 4: Whyte has won 11 consecutive fights since he was stopped by Joshua in December 2015. And he has beaten some good opponents. Among them: Derek Chisora (twice), Robert Helenius, Joseph Parker and Oscar Rivas. Solid resume.

No. 5: Ruiz also shouldn’t be dismissed after his disappointing effort against Joshua in their rematch. The first fight wasn’t a fluke. Ruiz has ability and power. If he can get focused — big IF — he can have more success.

Usyk? I understand why Fury included him in his Top 5. I considered it. The former cruiserweight champ might have the best skill set among all heavyweights. The problem is that he has yet to prove he can beat an elite big man. No one will be shocked if he does, although he’d be at a size disadvantage against many heavyweights.

I also considered Luis Ortiz, a strong, skillful fighter. I couldn’t get past two brutal knockouts against Wilder in his last five fights, though.

And, finally, Kubrat Pulev has a golden opportunity to climb onto this list. All he has to do is beat Joshua whenever they fight.

WBC president willing to lower sanctioning fees, relax some rules

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman is willing to lower sanctioning fees and relax some rules to help boxing get restarted.

If lowering sanctioning fees will help boxing get rolling again, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman is willing to do it.

Sulaiman also suggested he will relax mandatory challenge regulations and allow boxers to fight at higher weights than they normally would if they need to.

The boxing business, like most businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, has taken a significant financial hit after it went on the shelf in March. Many in the sport has lost income.

“I feel like there is going to be an effect that we all have to participate in,” Sulaiman told ESPN Deportes. “It will be necessary to have flexibility, make adjustments to what situations are coupling, adjust fees.

“… What I directly announce is that we are all going to have to be flexible, the sanctioning fees will go down and we will try to cut expenses for everyone.”

Sulaiman said his champions can’t necessarily be expected to face mandatory challengers when boxing restarts. Some can’t travel because of the pandemic. Others might have difficulty making weight after the layoff.

“We are going to see case by case,” he said. “For example, Jose Ramirez was going to defend the super lightweight title against Viktor Postol. It was going to be in China in February and it was suspended. Then it was going to be in California in May and it was suspended.

“Today Postol is in Ukraine, and if he cannot travel, we cannot punish Ramirez. We are going to look at things, case by case.”

He said of the weight issue: “It is a very important point. No one is training at a high level for obvious reasons. This time everything is possible … when we are all living during something unexpected.”

WBC President: If Mike Tyson wants to be ranked, ‘we will rank him’

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman acknowledged safety concerns but says he’d rank Mike Tyson if that’s what Iron Mike wants.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman spoke animatedly about Mike Tyson to an outlet called Stats Perform when he said something curious.

Sulaiman said he would place Tyson in his heavyweight rankings if that’s what Iron Mike wants. Tyson, 53 but feeling good, has announced that he plans to take part in exhibitions to benefit charity but many wonder whether he’ll return to competitive boxing.

Ranking? At 53 years old? After 15 years out of the ring?

“I’m not going to kill the dream,” Sulaiman said. “I’m going to be very supportive of Mike Tyson. He deserves it. If the dream is to say, ‘I will be ranked,’ I am saying yes, we will rank him.”

Now we must be fair. Perhaps Sulaiman got carried away with his enthusiasm for a boxing legend. And he did qualify his statement.

Here is the comment in context:

“He could knock out anyone with one punch, at any time! So of course we will support him. I don’t like to speculate. This is a topic we are all entertained by. An exhibition is one thing; if he comes back, he has to be licensed and has to go through a thorough process.

“I’m not going to kill the dream. I’m going to be very supportive of Mike Tyson, he deserves it. If the dream is to say ‘I will be ranked,’ I am saying yes, we will rank him. Every world champion has a provision that he can come back, like Sugar Ray [Leonard], who was inactive.

“But Tyson’s case is different, he’s been away many years. But I am in full support of Mike Tyson. I believe this will bring entertainment, and he’s doing it for charity. He wants to serve the world in this difficult moment.”

Sulaiman went on: “We need to first understand what it is. I think it’s an exhibition. The safety has to be top priority. It is great to see athletes promoting the sport. Mike Tyson had a very complicated life in boxing.

“Now to see him losing weight, active, healthy, is great, and we have to support him. But we have to see if it is a real fight. I am hearing that it’s an exhibition, and we are fully behind him.”

And, finally: “Don’t watch it, if you don’t like it. I love to see NFL players do reunions, I love to see legends doing something. Why not allow them to do something for charity?

“The only thing we have to be careful about is their safety. Why would we block it otherwise? We offer him our full support.”

So Sulaiman did underscore the importance of safety. He acknowledged Tyson’s time away from boxing. And, of course, if a 53-year-old can demonstrate that he’s perfectly healthy and can compete with younger fighters, it’s difficult to keep him out of the ring.

Evander Holyfield, who also has mentioned a comeback and could face Tyson, fought competitively until 48. And Larry Holmes was still active in his early 50s.

Still, Sulaiman might’ve been wise to take this a step at a time rather than prove his loyalty to Tyson by gushing about him. If Tyson takes part in exhibitions only, then there is no reason to talk about ranking.

And if Tyson decides to take his comeback to the next level, Sulaiman had better be careful how he responds. To rank a fighter because of his name, not necessarily his ability, is a horrible look. And, God forbid, Tyson or another geezer gets seriously hurt in the ring in a huge event.

This is serious stuff. One should be careful about what one says.

Julio Cesar Chavez reflects on Cinco de Mayo fights and more

Julio Cesar Chavez spoke to host Jessie Vargas on a special holiday episode of the new Matchroom Boxing Spanish-language show “Peleamundo.”

Julio Cesar Chavez fought often in May – including on Cinco de Mayo weekend a number of times – and, he said, it always had special meaning for him.

The Mexican Hall of Famer, now 57, spoke at length with host Jessie Vargas on a special holiday episode of the new Matchroom Boxing Spanish-language show “Peleamundo” about that subject and more.

The episode will be available at 5 p.m. ET today on the Matchroom YouTube channel.

Among Chavez’s translated comments:

“It’s a very special day for all Mexicans,” Chavez said. “I fought many times in May representing all Mexicans. It’s something very, very special, something very beautiful feeling the love, the support from all the Mexican Americans that lived in the United States.

“Above all, the Mexicans, [they] truly are the ones who support other Mexicans who go and triumph in the United States. For them it’s something great that one can represent them. I always tried to represent them in the best way. Fortunately, I gained their respect, but above all, I won the love of the people. Nobody can take it away from me.

“They were great, they were huge for me because I always had the support of all the Mexicans that moved [to the U.S.]. I don’t even remember any more if I won or lost, I think I won more than I lost!

“The one thing I’m left with is with the joy that I gave to the Mexicans there, the euphoria with which they received me, they presented me, and they followed me. I always have that. …

“There are opponents that are complicated for us. The truth is that for me, Frankie Randall’s style was always complicated for me. Even in the third fight, because in the second fight, even though I beat him, the truth is that if it weren’t for the head butt no one knows how it would have gone for me because I was already really tired.

“Honestly in that fight, I had prepared like never before. My addiction was already very far along. But I stopped for a bit there because I had lost, I wanted to avenge my loss. I stopped a bit, despite the fact that my addiction was already very advanced. I stopped a bit, I tried to stop a bit in order to take back my title and that’s how it went. I think I went a bit too far, I prepared so well, that I went into the fight over-trained. In the second round, I felt that my arms were already falling.

“Fortunately, thank God, based on pure experience I took the fight. I had another fight against him in Mexico City where I already knew his style and there, I beat him more easily.”

Vargas also was joined by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

WBC, Voluntary Anti-Doping Association to resume random drug testing

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said that his organization, in conjunction with VADA, will soon resume random drug testing.

Cheaters beware.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN Deportes that his organization, in conjunction with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, will soon resume random drug testing as part of its Clean Boxing Program.

The WBC suspended testing on March 21 to protect those involved in the process during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are in communication with VADA, they are already organizing the corresponding protocols to start the tests for the Clean Boxing Program, we have made a lot of progress in the administrative work and very soon the surprise tests will start randomly,” Sulaiman said.

He went on: “We are ready. It is a matter of the laboratory confirming the areas where the tests can be carried out. It was suspended for care, health, and in order not to put laboratory collectors or boxers and their families at risk.

“It was illogical to think that during a pandemic, when everyone is forced to be at home, in many countries by law, a project that disobeys such liaisons will be considered or forced.”

Devin Haney reinstated as full lightweight titleholder

The WBC has reinstated Devin Haney as its lightweight champion four months after declaring him “champion in recess.”

The WBC has reinstated Devin Haney as its lightweight champion.

Haney, who became titleholder when Vasiliy Lomachenko was elevated to “franchise champion” in October, shut out Alfredo Santiago in his first title defense the following month but he injured his shoulder in the process. The injury required surgery that precluded him from defending against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

Thus, the sanctioning body declared Haney “champion in recess.” The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title. However, that fight never gained traction because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion. And it finally did. Haney reportedly also was given the right to make a voluntary defense.

Fortuna and Campbell are now expected to fight for the “interim” title, with the winner in line to face Haney for the full title if Haney wins his tune-up.

Devin Haney: ‘I have learned a valuable lesson’

Devin Haney said he has ‘learned a valuable lesson’ as a result of his ‘white boy’ comment and the subsequent reaction.

Devin Haney, it appears, has grown as a person.

The unbeaten lightweight created a firestorm when he was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko and gave a response that he now regrets:

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” said Haney, who is black. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me. I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

A few days later he responded to criticism by saying “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist.” On Tuesday he took another, more humble step.

“Over the last couple days I’ve had time to reflect on a lot,” Haney said in a public statement. “I sincerely regret using a term that I have now learned to be derogatory to many of my fans, friends and associates.”

He went on: “I have learned a valuable lesson and I will continue to show the kind of person that I really am and will continue my quest for greatness inside and outside the ring.”

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

 

Devin Haney responds to criticism: ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist’

Devin Haney responded to criticism of his ‘white boy’ comment by Tweeting, ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist.’

Devin Haney has taken criticism over his “white boy” comments seriously.

The unbeaten was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko, the fighter many believe is the No. 1 fighter in the world pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, was criticized on social media for injecting race into the otherwise typical trash-talk conversations.

The 21-year-old responded with two Tweets.

He wrote in the first: “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist. I’m chasing greatness.

And in the second: “I just had a very positive conversation with Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, and confirmed to him directly my commitment to be a role model and my absolute rejection of discrimination of any kind.” Sulaiman “liked” the second Tweet.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

Devin Haney: ‘I will never lose to a white boy in my life’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level when he said ‘I’ll never lose to a white boy in my life.’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level.

Haney, the unbeaten lightweight, was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing the fighter many believe is No. 1 pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, and Lomachenko, who is white, have also exchanged barbs on Instagram but their rivalry probably will be limited to words until some things are sorted out.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”