World Boxing Association chiefs are closer than ever to completely removing the ill-fated ‘regular’ championship.
The WBA has confirmed the number of boxing divisions with a regular champion is reduced to five of the seventeen weight classes.
Therefore, twelve categories are left with only one champion as part of the ongoing plan to eradicate the regular title completely.
President Gilberto Mendoza took over ten years to fulfill a promise made to World Boxing News in 2013. At the time, Mendoza told WBN he planned to remove the ‘regular’ belts that polarized fans from the get-go.
Beginning in 2009, the secondary strap bred champions who were not really world titleholders. This struck a cord, especially with the die-hard fans who felt sorry for those boxers who won the so-called crown.
In a solid effort, the WBA has confirmed the five remaining divisions that will be rid of the belt soon. The entire situation could be resolved in the next twelve months.
World Boxing Association regular champions
“The World Boxing Association’s (WBA) World Title Reduction Plan has made significant progress toward having a single champion in twelve of the seventeen available categories,” they said.
“While the others are moving forward to achieve the goal set by President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza and the Championships Committee.”
The WBA also confirmed that the thirteenth and fourteenth weight classes will be resolved shortly.
“With twelve single champions and five remaining, the entity has continued to make decisions that contribute to achieving the goal.
“The minimumweight is one of those that [the WBA] have been working to achieve a single champion. The purse bidding for a fight between Thamanoon Niyomtrong and Erick Rosa will be held on July 21.
“The hope is to make the fight before the end of the year.
“At heavyweight, Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois will fight on August 26. The winner will be the only champion in the division of the pioneer organization.”
Those weight classes already fulfilled are Kensjiro Teraji at light flyweight, Artem Dalakian at flyweight, Kazuto Ioka at super flyweight, and Takuma Inoue at bantamweight.
In addition, Marlon Tapales at super bantamweight, Leigh Wood at featherweight, Héctor García at super featherweight, and Rolando Romero at super lightweight.
Remaining divisions
Furthermore, the remaining quartet is Jermell Charlo at super welterweight, Erislandy Lara at middleweight, Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight, and Arsen Goulamirian at cruiserweight.
This leaves the last few categories to be resolved.
Welterweight, whose process was paused due to the suspension of the fight between Vergil Ortiz and Eimantas Stanionis. However, the Lithuanian is expected to face the winner of Spence-Crawford soon to define the division.
Moreover, the super middleweight will have Canelo facing Charlo. At the same time, confirmation is expected for David Morrell to defend his belt voluntarily.
Finally, the committee is working and waiting to decide on lightweight, with Devin Haney as super champion and Gervonta Davis as champion.
