The World Boxing Affiliation champions checklist has elevated to 38 from 27 as Gold titleholders and interim belts achieve additional floor.
Regardless of informing the boxing public and media in 2021 that they intend to take away all interim champions, unify ‘Common’ rulers, and demote ‘Gold’ titleholders from the champions checklist, interim is again with a vengeance, regulars are popping up in all places, and ‘Gold’ champions characteristic on the checklist once more.
Sadly, the WBA instantly eliminated all interim champions, leaving those that initially earned these titles with nothing. Three years later, the WBA has topped new champions and just lately added a ‘Common’ gentle heavyweight champion on Saturday night time.
David Morrell Jr. turns into a champion at 175, having held the identical secondary belt at 168. However that’s not all. The WBA introduced on Monday that the winner of Caleb Planet vs. Trevor McCumby on the Canelo vs. Berlanga undercard can be topped the interim tremendous middleweight champion.
On account of Morrell leaving the decrease restrict behind, Plant and McCumby will possible contest the vacant WBA ‘Common’ title of their struggle in six weeks.
What’s clear is that the World Boxing Affiliation and its President, Gilberto Mendoza, reacted to discord amongst followers when a decide was flagged for being racist. He might have begun with good intentions to have one sole champion within the 17 divisions finally. At one level, they have been shut and solely had 23. That looks like a very long time in the past now.
Since then, the WBA added a bridgerweight division according to the WBC to have 18 weight courses. From these 18 divisions got here nearly 30 champions. A rise to 34 and shortly to be 35 will solely stretch farther from these earlier good intentions in just some weeks.
When all was mentioned and completed, the WBA couldn’t or didn’t wish to undertake it.
Full checklist of WBA boxing champions – August 2024
HEAVYWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – OLEKSANDR USYK
WORLD CHAMPION – MAHMOUD CHARR
GOLD CHAMPION – MICHAEL HUNTER
BRIDGERWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – MUSLIM GADZHIMAGOMEDOV
GOLD CHAMPION – JULIO CESAR LA CRUZ
CRUISERWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – GILBERTO RAMIREZ
GOLD CHAMPION – FIRAT ARSLAN
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – DMITRY BIVOL
WORLD CHAMPION – DAVID MORRELL JR
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – SAUL ALVAREZ
GOLD CHAMPION – UWEL HERNANDEZ
MIDDLEWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – ERISLANDY LARA
GOLD CHAMPION – THOMAS LAMANNA
SUPER WELTERWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – TERENCE CRAWFORD
CHAMPION IN RECESS – JERMELL CHARLO
WELTERWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – TERENCE CRAWFORD
WORLD CHAMPION – EIMANTAS STANIONIS
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – RAYO VALENZUELA
INTERIM CHAMPION – ISMAEL BARROSO
GOLD CHAMPION – ZHANKOZH TURAROV
LIGHTWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – GERVONTA DAVIS
SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – LAMONT ROACH JR
INTERIM CHAMPION – ALBERT BATYRGAZIEV
FEATHERWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – NICK BALL
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – NAOYA INOUE
GOLD CHAMPION – NOEL REYES CEPEDA
BANTAMWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – TAKUMA INOUE
SUPER FLYWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – FERNANDO MARTINEZ
INTERIM CHAMPION – DAVID JIMENEZ
GOLD CHAMPION – ELTON DHARRY
FLYWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – SEIGO YURI AKUI
LIGHT FLYWEIGHT
WORLD CHAMPION – VACANT
GOLD CHAMPION – ERICK ROSA
MINIMUMWEIGHT
SUPER CHAMPION – THAMMANOON NIYOMTRONG
GOLD CHAMPION – WILFREDO MENDEZ
[In accordance with the WBA website]
The views expressed on this article are the opinions of Phil Jay. Study extra, learn all articles from the skilled boxing author, and observe on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
