With the autumn of Mahmoud Charr this previous weekend, I misplaced my function as a sportswriter. By no means did I believe I might discover a equally moronic saga to latch onto in lieu of creating a character or any expertise that meaningfully enhance the world. Fortunately, the WBC answered my prayers.
Let’s begin at the start.
Again in February of final yr, former tremendous middleweight champion and lightweight heavyweight kinda-champion Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KO) sprang an upset of WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu, who’d been teased as a possible foe for Canelo Alvarez earlier than all of it went flawed.
Slightly than parlay that victory right into a payday, Jack elected to sit down on the belt for a bit earlier than asserting his intention to attempt for a “bridgerweight” belt in opposition to Lukasz Rozanski, prompting the WBC to call him champion-in-recess.
Whereas that battle slowly died on the vine, the WBC did a WBC factor and chucked Makabu proper again right into a title battle in opposition to Noel Mikaelian/Mikaelyan/Gevor, who had in truth been tabbed to battle Makabu the earlier January earlier than it got here to gentle that supervisor Don King straight-up lied concerning the matchup even being mentioned. The 2 lastly met in November and Mikaelyan took lower than three rounds to demolish “Junior” and elevate the title.
This teed up a compulsory protection in opposition to knockout artist, home abuser, and homicide advocate Ryan Rozicki. I’ll let the WBC clarify issues:
Champion Mikaelian’s promoter of file, Don King Promotions, contracted the Mikaelian vs Rozicki battle to happen in Miami on June 7, 2024. Sadly, Champion Mikaelian sustained a sparring harm simply 10 days earlier than that battle.
DKP rescheduled the battle 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 completely evaluating all of the information 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 must happen as each camps knowledgeable the WBC that that they had reached an settlement. The battle was then scheduled for December 7 in Canada. 3Lions Promotions produced bout contracts, contracted the Enviornment, 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 battle in opposition to Rozicki because 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 battle again in 2022. The Rozicki Vs Peralta battle for the WBC Interim World Cruiserweight title will happen on December 7 in Canada.
“Controversial” is a little bit of an understatement, by the best way; the choice was so dangerous that, for the primary time I can recall, the WBC truly refused to present Rozicki the “worldwide title” at stake. Their rematch wasn’t fairly that degree of debacle, but it surely did lead to a majority draw, leaving the interim belt vacant as effectively.
Immediately, as a part of their annual conference, the sanctioning physique elected to swap Jack’s and Mikaelian’s locations, leaving “The Ripper” as soon as once more a world champion on the age of 41. He’ll make his inaugural protection in opposition to Rozicki whereas Peralta takes on Michal Cieslak, who’s picked up six straight knockouts since stinking out the be part of in opposition to Lawrence Okolie in 2022, for the interim belt.
Why do they want an interim belt once they’ve already arrange the subsequent precise title battle? Hell if I do know. Clown footwear for everybody. If it means Opetaia and Zurdo get an actual shot at going for undisputed sooner or later, I’ll take it.
