Strawweight: Champion Siyakholwa Kuse is free of a mandatory and is making an optional defense against Filipino Joey Canoy.
Light Flyweight: Champion Shokichi Iwata made his mandatory defense against Eric Badillo on July 20, 2026. He is free to make an optional defense.
Flyweight: Champion Sergio Mendoza just won the title as a late substitute challenger on October 10, 2026. The last mandatory was made on September 22, 2024. Interim champ Galal Yafai has been inactive for health reasons and ready to return to the ring. Mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez is being evaluated for an eye condition.
Super Flyweight: Champion Ricardo Malajika won the title on September 27, 2026 in a mandatory fight for the vacant title. He is in a voluntary phase.
Bantamweight: Champion Takuma Inoue won vacant title on November 24, 2025, requiring two mandatories. The first was made against Tenshin Nasukawa September 27, 2026. The second is due against Andrew Cain.
Super Bantamweight: Champion Naoya Inoue is in negotiations for a mega fight with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. The WBC has voted to order an interim title fight between Junto Nakatani and Ramon Cardenas.
Featherweight: Champion Bruce Carrington is in a voluntary phase. Cristobal Lorente will fight Mikito Nakano in Japan on January 11th for the final eliminator.
Super Featherweight: Champion O’Shaquie Foster is now unified WBC/WBO/IBF champ and is looking to become undisputed against the winner of the WBA title fight between Anthony Cacace and Nick Ball. Per the WBC, this fight takes precedence over everything else.
Lightweight: Champion William Zepeda has reached an agreement to fight interim champion Jaider Herrera in March 13 in Mexico, as a mandatory defense.
Super Lightweight: Champion Dalton Smith just made his mandatory defense against former champ Alberto Puello on October 24. He is open for a voluntary defense, after which he will fight interim champion Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.
Welterweight: Champion Ryan Garcia made his mandatory defense against Conor Benn on September 12, 2026 and is free to make a voluntary defense. #1 rated Souleymanne Cissokho vs Alberto Puello for the interim title. In January, Arnold Barboza vs Oscar Duarte will be for the silver title.
Super Welterweight: Champion Sebastian Fundora just made his mandatory defense against Ermal Hadribeaj on October 17, 2026. He is looking for a unification against Jaron “Boots” Ennis. #1 rated Brandon Adams is fighting January 23, 2027 and is hoping to contest the newly vacant interim title (Vergil Ortiz is moving up to middleweight).

Middleweight: Champion Carlos Adames is contesting a non-title fight on November 17. If he loses, the WBC title will be vacant. If he wins, he must fight mandatory Meiirim Nursultanov. That winner must next fight interim champion Jesus Ramos, Jr.
Super Middleweight: Champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was the mandatory challenger on October 31, against then champion Christian Mbilli. Interim champ Lester Martinez was on hand at this meeting and expressed his desire to challenge ‘Canelo’.

Light Heavyweight: Champion Willy Hutchinson just won the vacant title November 7 against Joshua Buatsi. He has two mandatories due. The WBC has supported former undisputed champ Artur Beterbiev during his absence from the ring of over two years.
A four man tournament with Artur Beterbiev, Imam Khataev, Ben Whittaker and Radivoje Kalajdzic has been proposed. Representatives for Beterbiev clarified that their man will never fight his childhood hometown friend and fellow Muslim, Imam Khataev…much to discuss.
Cruiserweight: Champion Michal Cieslak will fight WBA/WBO champ David Benavidez on December 6 in a unification. Representatives for Jai Opetaia petition for a top reading, insisting that he gave up his recently one WBA regular Championship. The petition was approved by the board of governors.
Bridgerweight: Champion Ryad Merhy, will defend against mandatory challenger Kris Terzievski in Belgium, May, 2027.
Heavyweight: Champion Agit Kabayel will voluntarily defend against Nelson Hysa on November 28. Kabayel Has expressed his desire to chase unification fights after November 28th.
***
Sarah Cunningham, a registered nurse and sports nutritionist, as well as former boxer, was recognized for her excellent presentation on the health and well-being of all athletes, especially boxers.

Duane Ford gave a report on yesterday’s judging seminar. He felt there is a problem in differing philosophies among judges and the ABC. The concept of scoring close, moderate and decisive is continuing to solidify scoring consistency.
Joel Scobie was awarded referee of the year and Martha Tremblay received judge of the year.

A contingent from the Ukraine awarded WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman with tokens of their appreciation for the unending support of the WBC for the Ukraine. The WBC reciprocated with medals for each member of the contingent.

Former WBC featherweight champion Juan LaPorte was presented with a brand new championship belt to replace his belt which had been damaged from 40+ years ago.

A video presentation was made by Chris Roberts, OBE, who serves as the Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of the International Boxing Association (IBA). WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman expressed that while there are fundamental differences between the two organizations, there is also common ground, such as in social responsibility. For example. He expressed hope that the two entities can work towards an eventual total commonality.

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