Tyson Fury continues to be recognized as the WBC heavyweight champion despite not defending the crown for almost a year. WBN explains why this is the case.
“The Gypsy King” was given special dispensation to face former UFC heavyweight ruler Francis Ngannou on October 28. This event comes under the ‘Special Bout’ category in the WBC rules.
Fury is due to make a mandatory defense of his crown. However, due to a deadlock between Deontay Wilder and rival Andy Ruiz Jr, the WBC has yet to ratify who the mandatory challenger is.
They disagreed on a sanctioned eliminator. This led to the WBC removing Ruiz from the number two spot. It’s hoped that moving Anthony Joshua to second spot behind Wilder will incentivize the pair to sign a contract to face each other.
If Wilder vs Joshua is secured, the WBC will sanction the fight as a final eliminator for Fury.
How long can Tyson Fury go without defending the WBC heavyweight title?
According to its rules and policy, Fury should be defending his title against one of the top fifteen instead. However, because he did so against Derek Chisora in December, the WBC has given Fury a bye until after December.
The rules below state Fury should defend in a twelve-month period. However, those same regulations outline that Fury doesn’t have to if a “Special Bout” – like the Ngannou fight – is confirmed.
WBC rules state:
The WBC’s policy is to offer opportunities to boxers to compete for its titles, and thus, the WBC seeks to prevent titles from being frozen due to inactivity by champions. Therefore, a WBC champion should strive to defend the title in mandatory or voluntary defenses at least three (3) times a year unless the WBC grants a written exception or extension in its sole discretion.
Therefore, a WBC champion should strive to defend his title at least every one hundred twenty (120) days. That’s unless otherwise permitted by the WBC in its sole discretion.
Upon winning a title, a WBC champion must defend the title within 90 to 120 days or as otherwise ordered by the WBC. That’s unless otherwise ordered or permitted by the WBC in its sole discretion.
Special Bout
The Special Bout regulation states:
Under special circumstances, including but not limited to a contest involving an elite contender, a champion of another organization, a match or tournament that the WBC determines in its sole discretion would be in the best interests of boxing. Or any other applicable special circumstance, the WBC may order and sanction any such bout, or each associated tournament bout, as either a voluntary or mandatory defense under such terms and conditions as the WBC may impose in its sole discretion.
The WBC may order that any such special bout take precedence over and occur before any previously designated mandatory defense. A WBC Champion who participates in a Special Bout as defined above shall be subject to any sanction fees applicable to the defense of their WBC title.
WBN summary
Therefore, Fury won’t be obligated to defend his title until at least six months after his fight with Ngannou. Many fans see this as bad for the sport and Fury holding up the division.
This may be the case. However, Fury is not doing anything against the rules laid out by the WBC.
The only way the WBC can move on at heavyweight until the spring of 2024 is if Tyson Fury vacates the championship.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
