The WBA’s decision to announce two world title fights for the coming months and the WBO’s recent straightening out of their vacant belt has finally shed some light on how everything will come together in 2017.
Hopefully, and by the middle to end of 2017, the 200 pounds plus weight class will have just two or three worthy figurehead champions who could move towards unifying the whole division by 2018.
Beginning with the complex WBA, WBN attempts to clear up some of the confusion:
WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION
Current champion: VACANT
Title bouts: Wladimir Klitschko gets his wish to fight for the vacant ‘Super’ title. This clash will come against Anthony Joshua, provided the IBF belt holder comes through Eric Molina on December 10 and then agrees on terms with the Ukrainian.
Should Joshua and Klitschko fail to sign a contract, the winner of Lucas Browne vs. Shannon Briggs could then get bumped up to facing ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ before the overall champion defends against Fres Oquendo in the summer of 2017.
Mandatory: If Klitschko v Joshua does go ahead as planned, the winner will then make a mandatory defense against the ‘Regular’ belt holder from Brown/Briggs/Oquendo after a voluntary period.
There is no ‘Interim’ championship, although Alexander Ustinov does have claims to fighting for that version should the organization continue to include the belt in their roster.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION 2017
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL
Current champion: DEONTAY WILDER
Title bouts: Wilder is currently injured until the spring but is expected to fight someone in the Top 15 upon his return.
Mandatory: ‘The Bronze Bomber’ must then defend his green and gold strap against the winner of the interim championship bout between Alexander Povetkin v Bermane Stiverne due to take place on December 17.
The December 10 clash between Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora has been sanctioned by the WBC as an eliminator, with the winner likely to be pitted against WBC Silver champion Johann Duhaupas in what would then be a final eliminator for the top spot.
WORLD BOXING ORGANISATION
Current champion: VACANT
Title bouts: The highest two contenders, New Zealander Joseph Parker and American Andy Ruiz Jr., have accepted an invitation to contest the vacant title and have penciled in a date of December 10 to do so.
Mandatory: The winner must then defend the belt against the new compulsory challenger David Haye.
INTERNATIONAL BOXING FEDERATION
Current champion: ANTHONY JOSHUA
Title bouts: Joshua will defend against Eric Molina on December 10.
Mandatory: Kubrat Pulev should be given the green light to fight in a final eliminator against another top contender soon.
INTERNATIONAL BOXING ORGANISATION
Current champion: Vacant
Title bouts: Wladimir Klitschko’s next bout will feature the IBO title
Mandatory: Klitschko is the mandatory challenger
Here’s how the division could eventually have just three champions
JOSHUA v MOLINA/KLITSCHKO v winner of BROWNE/BRIGGS/OQUENDO – IBF, WBA, IBO
WILDER v POVETKIN/STIVERNE – WBC
PARKER v RUIZ v HAYE – WBO
WBN Editor Phil has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN us on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
