Because the Covid-19 pandemic, the WBC cruiserweight Division has confronted extraordinarily sophisticated circumstances.
In February of 2023 Badou Jack conquered the WBC World Cruiserweight Championship by defeating then champion Ilunga Makabu. Quickly thereafter, champion Jack petitioned the WBC to put him as champion in recess so he may attempt to schedule a struggle for the WBC world bridgerweight title. Champion Jack’s makes an attempt have been unsuccessful. He’s now seeking to return to the cruiserweight division.
Within the meantime, Noel Mikaelian received the vacant WBC world cruiserweight title knocking out Ilunga Makabu. The WBC ordered champion Mikaelian to make his first obligatory protection after having received a vacant title in opposition to obligatory contender Ryan Rozicki who had received a remaining elimination bout by way of knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola.
Champion Mikaelian’s promoter of report, Don King Promotions, contracted the Mikaelian vs Rozicki struggle to happen in Miami on June 7, 2024. Sadly, Champion Mikaelian sustained a sparring harm simply 10 days earlier than that struggle.
DKP rescheduled the struggle for September 28, 2024 additionally in Miami. Very sadly, DKP’s principal Don King skilled well being points severed sufficient not to have the ability to promote the occasion.
After totally evaluating all of the info and having engaged in quite a few communications with each camps, the WCB ordered a handbag bid for the Mikaelian vs Rozicki bout. 3 Lion Promotions attended the purse bid ceremony which didn’t need to happen as each camps knowledgeable the WBC that that they had reached an settlement.
The struggle was then scheduled for December 7 in Canada. 3Lions Promotions produced bout contracts, contracted the sector, organized for broadcast manufacturing, and incurred different substantial bills. In any case that effort, now it seems that champion Mikaelian is unavailable to take part within the struggle in opposition to Rozicki as a result of an ongoing authorized dispute along with his promoter Don King Productions.
The WBC Board of Governors has voted unanimously to help the petition from 3 Lion Promotions to approve an interim championship between Rozicki and the #2 contender Yamil Peralta from Argentina. That bout is a rematch of their extremely controversial struggle again in 2022.
The Rozicki vs. Peralta struggle for the WBC interim world cruiserweight title will happen on December 7 in Canada.
The WBC Board of Governors will assessment the entire scenario all weight classes through the upcoming annual conference in Hamburg. Germany from December 8-14.