Mario Barrios was compelled to attend out the inevitable.
Affirmation was lastly supplied by the WBC to call San Antonio’s Barrios (28-2, 18 knockouts) as its acknowledged welterweight titlist. The ruling ends his nine-month keep as an interim titleholder, and got here greater than a month after his earlier outing.
Weirdly, it additionally got here greater than three weeks after a earlier ruling left the first title standing vacant. Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (40-0-1, 31 KOs) beforehand held the principle belt earlier than he was downgraded in title standing resulting from his determination to problem for a 154-pound title.
“The WBC Board of Governors has voted in favor of the ruling to raise interim champion Mario Barrios to World champion,” the sanctioning physique introduced Tuesday. “The WBC granted Terrence Crawford the Champion in recess standing and can compete in a ultimate elimination bout within the tremendous welterweight division to then determine wherein class he’ll proceed.”
Crawford, The Ring 147-pound champion and No. 3 pound-for-pound, will subsequent problem WBA 154-pound titlist Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) No. 3 at 154 by The Ring. Their Aug. 3 assembly in Los Angeles additionally comes with the promise of a compulsory shot on the WBC 154-pound title.
Barrios, The Ring’s No. 4-rated welterweight, claimed the interim WBC welterweight title after he defeated Yordenis Ugas final September.
The WBC permitted the secondary title battle since Crawford was contractually sure to a rematch with Errol Spence (28-1, 20 KOs). Crawford worn out Spence in 9 one-sided rounds to totally unify the welterweight division final July 29 however has not but returned to the load.
Barrios most lately defended the interim title trinket in a twelve-round determination over Fabian Maidana. Their Might 4 bout was a part of the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-Jaime Munguia Prime Video Pay-Per-View occasion at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
On the time, it was assumed that Barrios would both be named as Crawford’s obligatory or elevated to full titleholder. The WBC determined to make everybody wait, even after the Might 27 ruling to downgrade Crawford to ‘Champion in Recess.’
The importance of the transfer is that Barrios now has the liberty to pursue true unification bouts. It is going to be wanted, because the division has all however misplaced its prime two stars.
Neither Crawford nor Spence are more likely to return to welterweight. Crawford nonetheless holds the WBA and WBO belts. Nonetheless, he’ll seemingly must vacate each, ought to he defeat Madrimov in August. Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs), No. 3 at 147 by The Ring, holds the WBA ‘Common’ belt. Ring No. 10-rated Brian Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) is the interim WBO titlist.
Philadelphia’s Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs), No. 2 at 147, holds the IBF title. He was elevated from interim standing when Crawford didn’t honor an ordered obligatory title battle final fall. Ennis will defend versus David Avanesyan (30-4-1, 16 KOs), No. 6 at 147, on July 13 in his Philly hometown.
Barrios and Stanionis each fighter underneath the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) conglomerate.
Subsequent up for Barrios might be a high-profile novelty battle, if a deal might be struck in time. He has been linked to a possible title protection versus former eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao. Talks are ongoing, however Pacquiao—who introduced his retirement after an Aug. 2021 defeat to Ugas—is raring for yet another title battle.
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