World Boxing Council
Encyclopedia
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States
, Argentina
, United Kingdom
, France
, Mexico
, Philippines
, Panama
, Chile
, Peru
, Venezuela
and Brazil
plus Puerto Rico
, met in Mexico City
on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico
, Adolfo López Mateos
, to form an international boxing organization that would achieve the unity of all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.
The groups that historically had recognized several boxers as champions included the New York State Athletic Commission
, the National Boxing Association, the European Boxing Union
and the British Boxing Board of Control
, but these groups lacked, for the most part, the all-encompassing "international" status they boasted of.
The WBC is one of four major organizations recognized by International Boxing Hall of Fame
which sanction world championship boxing
bouts, alongside the IBF
, WBA
and WBO
.
The WBC has nine regional governing bodies affiliated with it, such as the North American Boxing Federation
(NABF), the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
(OPBF), the European Boxing Union
(EBU) and the African Boxing Council (ABC).
Although rivals, the WBC's relationship with other sanctioning bodies has improved over time and there have even been talks of unification with the WBA. Unification bouts between WBC and other organizations' champions are becoming more common in recent years. Throughout its history, the WBC has allowed some its organization's champions to fight unification fights with champions of other organizations, although there were times it stepped in to prevent such fights. For many years, it also prevented its champions from holding the WBO belt. When a WBO-recognized champion wished to fight for a WBC championship, he had to abandon his WBO title first, without any special considerations. This, however, is no longer the case.
In 1983, the WBC took the unprecedented step of reducing the distance of its world championship bouts, from 15 rounds to 12—a move other organizations soon followed (for boxers' safety).
Among those to have been recognized by the WBC as world champions were Wilfred Benítez
, Wilfredo Gómez
, Julio César Chávez
, Muhammad Ali
, Joe Frazier
, Sugar Ray Leonard
, Mike Tyson
, Salvador Sánchez
, Héctor Camacho
, Marvin Hagler
, Carlos Monzón
, Roberto Durán
, Juan Laporte
, Félix Trinidad
, Edwin Rosario
, Alexis Argüello
, Nigel Benn
, Lennox Lewis
, Vitali Klitschko
, Erik Morales
, Manny Pacquiao
and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The WBC bolstered the legitimacy of women's boxing by recognizing fighters such as Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker
as contenders for World Female titles in 16 weight divisions. The first WBC World Female Champion (on May 30, 2005) was super-bantamweight Mexican, Jackie Nava
. With her former-champion father at ringside, Laila Ali
won the super-middleweight title on June 11, 2005.
In September 2009, the WBC created its new "Diamond Championship" belt. This belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile boxers. The inaugural Diamond Belt was awarded on November 14, 2009 to Manny Pacquiao
who won his seventh world title (in seven different divisions) via 12th round technical knockout over Miguel Ángel Cotto
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The WBC has also created a "Silver" world title recently, with Justin Savi
to be the first one to win it on April 16, 2010, against Cyril Thomas
in France.
Former WBC presidents include Luis Spota and Ramon G. Velázquez of Mexico, Onslow Fane of Great Britain and Justiniano N. Montano, Jr. of the Philippines. The organization's current president is José Sulaimán
.
says, "...[WBC President Jose Sulaiman]became more King's junior partner than his independent regulator." Another journalist, Peter Heller, echoes that comment: "Sulaiman...became little more than an errand boy for Don King." Heller also quotes British promoter Mickey Duff as saying, "My complaint is that José Sulaimán
is not happy his friend Don King is the biggest promoter in boxing. Sulaiman will only be happy when Don King is the only promoter in boxing."
The actions of the WBC give some credence to this charge. A partial list:
and former champion Michael Nunn
to fill the vacancy, sanctioning it as a world championship match.
On March 21, 1998 Rocchigiani won the fight and a WBC belt; in the subsequent WBC rankings, he was listed as "Light-Heavyweight World Champion." Jones, however, had a change of heart and asked if the WBC would reinstate him as the champion. In a move that violated nearly a dozen of its own regulations, the WBC granted the reinstatement. Rocchigiani received a letter from the WBC advising that the publishing of his name as champion was a typographical error, and he had never really been the official titleholder.
Rocchigiani immediately filed a lawsuit against the WBC in a U.S. federal court
, claiming that the organization's actions both were contrary to their own rules and injurious to his earning potential (due to diminished professional stature). On May 7, 2003, the judge ruled in Rocchigiani's favor, awarding him $30 million (U.S.) in damages and reinstating him as a former WBC Champion (Rocchigiani had lost a bout since his WBC Title match).
The following day, the WBC sought protection by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
(i.e., corporate debt restructuring) in Puerto Rico
. The organization then spent the next 13 months attempting to negotiate a six-figure settlement with Rocchigiani, but Rocchigiani did not at first accept.
On June 11, 2004, the WBC announced it would enter Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation (i.e., business closing and total asset sell-off) proceedings, effectively ending its existence. This action prompted some in the boxing community to plead with Rocchigiani to settle the dispute, which he did in mid-July 2004.
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Weight class:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Champion:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Date won:
|-
|Atomweight
|
Momo Koseki
|2009-05-02
|-
|Strawweight
|
Anabel Ortiz
|2009-10-31
|-
|Light flyweight
| Naomi Togashi
|2009-05-02
|-
|Flyweight
|
Simona Galassi
|2008-03-29
|-
|Super flyweight
| Ana María Torres
|2009-02-28
|-
|Bantamweight
|
Usanakornu Kokietgym
|2009-10-07
|-
|Super bantamweight
|
Marcela Acuña
|2008-12-04
|-
|Featherweight
|
Ina Menzer
|2008-03-08
|-
|Super featherweight
|
Frida Wallberg
|2010-11-27
|-
|Lightweight
|
Ann Saccurato
|2007-09-27
|-
|Super lightweight
| Monica Silvina Acosta
|2009-06-19
|-
|Welterweight
|
Cecilia Brækhus
|2009-03-14
|-
|Super welterweight
| Christy Martin
|2009-09-02
|-
|Middleweight
|
Wang Ya Nan
|2008-01-26
|-
|Super middleweight
|
Natascha Ragosina
|2007-02-17
|-
|Light heavyweight
|vacant
|
|-
|{|Cruiserweight
|vacant
|
|-
|Heavyweight
|vacant
|
|}
Other organizations
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
plus Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, met in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
, Adolfo López Mateos
Adolfo López Mateos
Adolfo López Mateos was a Mexican politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1958 to 1964...
, to form an international boxing organization that would achieve the unity of all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.
The groups that historically had recognized several boxers as champions included the New York State Athletic Commission
New York State Athletic Commission
The New York State Athletic Commission or NYSAC, also known as the New York Athletic Commission, regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New York, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, professional wrestlers, seconds, ring officials,...
, the National Boxing Association, the European Boxing Union
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
and the British Boxing Board of Control
British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff.- Councils :...
, but these groups lacked, for the most part, the all-encompassing "international" status they boasted of.
The WBC is one of four major organizations recognized by International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
which sanction world championship boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
bouts, alongside the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
, WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
and WBO
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
.
Championships
The WBC's green championship belt portrays the flags of all of the 161 countries of the organization;. All WBC world title belts look identical regardless of weight class; however, there are minor variations on the design for secondary and regionally-themed titles within the same weight class.The WBC has nine regional governing bodies affiliated with it, such as the North American Boxing Federation
North American Boxing Federation
The North American Boxing Federation is a not-for-profit regional sanctioning body that awards regional boxing titles. It is a boxing federation within the World Boxing Council .-History:...
(NABF), the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation
The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian and Pacific region.-History:The OPBF was formed in 1954 by the Japanese, Korean, and Filipino boxing commissions...
(OPBF), the European Boxing Union
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
(EBU) and the African Boxing Council (ABC).
Although rivals, the WBC's relationship with other sanctioning bodies has improved over time and there have even been talks of unification with the WBA. Unification bouts between WBC and other organizations' champions are becoming more common in recent years. Throughout its history, the WBC has allowed some its organization's champions to fight unification fights with champions of other organizations, although there were times it stepped in to prevent such fights. For many years, it also prevented its champions from holding the WBO belt. When a WBO-recognized champion wished to fight for a WBC championship, he had to abandon his WBO title first, without any special considerations. This, however, is no longer the case.
In 1983, the WBC took the unprecedented step of reducing the distance of its world championship bouts, from 15 rounds to 12—a move other organizations soon followed (for boxers' safety).
Among those to have been recognized by the WBC as world champions were Wilfred Benítez
Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
, Wilfredo Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
, Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
, Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
, Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
, Salvador Sánchez
Salvador Sánchez
Salvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that, had it not been for his premature death, Sanchez could have gone on to become the greatest Featherweight boxer of all time...
, Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
, Marvin Hagler
Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
, Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón
Carlos Monzón was an Argentine professional boxer who held the undisputed world middleweight title for 7 years, during which he successfully defended the title 14 times....
, Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
, Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico.-Amateur career:Juan Laporte won the 1976 112 lb New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship. He defeated Long Island's Ricky Brown in the finals. Laporte was defeated by Joseph Nieto of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch...
, Félix Trinidad
Félix Trinidad
Félix 'Tito' Trinidad, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional boxer, considered one of the best in Puerto Rico's history. After winning five National Amateur Championships in Puerto Rico, he debuted as a professional when he was 17. He won his first world championship when he defeated Maurice Blocker...
, Edwin Rosario
Edwin Rosario
Edwin "El Chapo" Rosario was a Puerto Rican boxer. He was the WBC world lightweight champion from 1983–84 and the WBA world champion in 1986–87 and again in 1989–90...
, Alexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn , known as "The Dark Destroyer", is a British former boxer who held world titles in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions....
, Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
, Vitali Klitschko
Vitali Klitschko
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously...
, Erik Morales
Erik Morales
Érik Isaac Morales Elvira is a Mexican professional boxer. He is the first Mexican born boxer in history to win a world title in four weight classes and is the current WBC Light Welterweight Champion...
, Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The WBC bolstered the legitimacy of women's boxing by recognizing fighters such as Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker
Lucia Rijker is a Dutch professional female boxer, kickboxer, and actress.Rijker has been dubbed by the press and opponents "The Most Dangerous Woman in the World". She can speak four languages and is a Buddhist, dedicating time daily to meditation and chanting...
as contenders for World Female titles in 16 weight divisions. The first WBC World Female Champion (on May 30, 2005) was super-bantamweight Mexican, Jackie Nava
Jackie Nava
Jacqueline Nava Mouett is a Mexican boxer in the Super Featherweight division and is managed by former world champion Erik Morales...
. With her former-champion father at ringside, Laila Ali
Laila Ali
Laila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
won the super-middleweight title on June 11, 2005.
In September 2009, the WBC created its new "Diamond Championship" belt. This belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile boxers. The inaugural Diamond Belt was awarded on November 14, 2009 to Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
who won his seventh world title (in seven different divisions) via 12th round technical knockout over Miguel Ángel Cotto
Miguel Cotto
Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and the reigning WBA light middleweight champion. He is the younger brother of contender Jose Miguel Cotto and cousin of Abner Cotto...
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The WBC has also created a "Silver" world title recently, with Justin Savi
Justin Savi
Justin Savi , is a professional boxer from Benin who goes by the nickname of "Le Malin" . His professional record includes 24 fights: 24 wins . He lives in Cotonou, Benin...
to be the first one to win it on April 16, 2010, against Cyril Thomas
Cyril Thomas
Cyril Thomas is a professional boxer from France. He was born on October 30, 1976, in Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France, where he also lives. The orthodox stance featherweight fighter has a professional record of 44 fights: 36 wins , 4 losses and 4 draws. He is a former France and European...
in France.
Former WBC presidents include Luis Spota and Ramon G. Velázquez of Mexico, Onslow Fane of Great Britain and Justiniano N. Montano, Jr. of the Philippines. The organization's current president is José Sulaimán
José Sulaimán
José Sulaimán Chagnón is a Mexican boxing official of Lebanese-descent. He is the president of the World Boxing Council....
.
The WBC and Don King
Many in the boxing community have accused the WBC of bending its rules to suit powerful promoter Don King. As journalist Jack NewfieldJack Newfield
Jack Newfield was a muckraking journalist, employed by The Village Voice, the Daily News and the New York Post. He covered the emergence of the New Left and the civil rights movement, and was a close friend of Robert F...
says, "...[WBC President Jose Sulaiman]became more King's junior partner than his independent regulator." Another journalist, Peter Heller, echoes that comment: "Sulaiman...became little more than an errand boy for Don King." Heller also quotes British promoter Mickey Duff as saying, "My complaint is that José Sulaimán
José Sulaimán
José Sulaimán Chagnón is a Mexican boxing official of Lebanese-descent. He is the president of the World Boxing Council....
is not happy his friend Don King is the biggest promoter in boxing. Sulaiman will only be happy when Don King is the only promoter in boxing."
The actions of the WBC give some credence to this charge. A partial list:
- When Leon SpinksLeon SpinksLeon Spinks is a former American boxer. He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins, and was the former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world...
won the WBA and WBC Heavyweight championships from Muhammad Ali in 1978, the WBC stripped Leon Spinks of his title. José Sulaimán said the WBC did so because Spinks was signed for a rematch with Ali instead of fighting a Don King fighter, Ken NortonKen NortonKenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...
. Norton then defended the WBC title against another Don King fighter, Larry HolmesLarry HolmesLarry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
, who won the belt. - In 1983, WBC Super Featherweight champion Bobby ChaconBobby ChaconBobby Chacon is an American former, two-time, world boxing champion.-Career:Chacon turned professional in 1972 and won his first 19 fights, including a win against former champion Jesus Castillo...
was signed to fight the WBC's mandatory challenger for his title, Cornelius Boza EdwardsCornelius Boza EdwardsCornelius Boza Edwards was a Ugandan boxer in the Light Welterweight division and the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion. Edwards emigrated from Uganda to England, where he lived for a long period of time...
. Promoter Don King, however, wanted his fighter, Héctor CamachoHéctor CamachoHéctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
, to fight for the title. Even though WBC rules said the mandatory challenger should receive a shot at the title, the WBC withdrew its sanction from the fight and then stripped Chacon for refusing to fight Camacho. - Under WBC rules, a fighter is supposed to defend his title against a mandatory challenger at least once a year. For fighters controlled by Don King, this rule is often ignored. Alexis ArgüelloAlexis ArgüelloAlexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, and Carlos Zarate, for instance, were allowed to ignore their obligations to their mandatory contenders while WBC champions. - While WBC Super Featherweight champion, Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
wanted to fight top contender Roger MayweatherRoger MayweatherRoger Mayweather is a retired professional boxer. He won two major world titles in two different weight classes. Throughout his career, Mayweather fought against many other boxing champions of the 1980s and 1990s. He is a part of the Mayweather boxing family; his brothers are former welterweight...
for a promoter other than Don King. The WBC withheld its sanction of the fight until Don King became promoter. - When Mike Tyson lost to James "Buster" Douglas during a WBC and WBA Heavyweight championship defense, Don King convinced the WBC (along with the WBA) to withhold recognition of Douglas as heavyweight champion. King claimed that Tyson had actually won the fight due to knocking down Douglas and the referee giving Douglas a "long countLong CountLong Count or Slow count is a term used in boxing. When a boxer is knocked down in a fight, the referee will count over them and the boxer must be on their feet by the count of ten or else is deemed to have been knocked out...
." Referee Octavio MeyranOctavio MeyranOctavio Meyran Sanchez is a former Mexican boxing referee.During his career Meyran took charge of over twenty world title fights. Among the bouts he refereed were the infamous No Más fight between Roberto Durán and Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, Wilfredo Gómez's WBC Featherweight title-winning effort...
, in a sworn affidavit, claims that King threatened to have the WBC withhold payment of Meyran's hotel bill if Meyran did not support King's protest. Because of intense public pressure, both the WBA and WBC backed down and recognized Douglas as champion. - In 1992, the WBC threatened to strip Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
of his title for defending it against Riddick BoweRiddick BoweRiddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...
instead of Razor RuddockDonovan RuddockDonovan Ruddock , also known as Razor Ruddock, is a retired Canadian heavyweight boxer. He was a promising Heavyweight of the late 1980s and early 1990s...
. Holyfield obtained a court order to stop the organization. In a taped deposition for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Holyfield stated that the WBC wanted him to defend his championship against Ruddock because Ruddock was managed by Don King. - During the 1990s, the WBC did not allow its champions to engage in unification bouts with WBOWorld Boxing OrganizationThe World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
champions. However, in 1993, the Don King promoted super-middleweight showdown between WBC champion Nigel BennNigel BennNigel Benn , known as "The Dark Destroyer", is a British former boxer who held world titles in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions....
and WBO champion Chris EubankChris EubankChris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
was recognized as a title unification fight by the WBC. Ironically, both men fought to a draw and each retained their respective titles. - When Mike Tyson was released from prison in 1995, the WBC installed him as their #1 contender for their heavyweight championship. Tyson had not fought in four years, but was promoted by Don King.
- In 2000, King-promoted Julio César Chávez was the mandatory challenger for Kostya Tszyu's WBC super lightweight title. Chávez was the mandatory challenger though he had not fought at super lightweight for two years, had recently lost to journeyman boxer Willie Wise, and had not beaten a top contender since losing his first fight to Oscar De La HoyaOscar de la HoyaOscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
in 1996. - In 2005, the WBC stripped Javier CastillejoJavier CastillejoFrancisco Javier Castillejo is a professional boxer from Spain. He is the former WBC light middleweight champion and former WBA middleweight champion. He has fought against stars Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Sturm, Fernando Vargas, Julio Cesar Vasquez, Michael Rask, and Mariano Natalio Carrera...
of his super welterweight title for fighting Fernando Vargas instead of Don King-promoted Ricardo MayorgaRicardo MayorgaRicardo Mayorga , is a Nicaraguan professional boxer. He is the former WBA/WBC Welterweight champion and the former WBC light middleweight champion. He holds a record of 29-8 with 23 knockouts and 1 draw 1 no contest. He was featured for the first time on the cover of Ring Magazine on the December...
. Mayorga somehow qualified for a shot at the super welterweight title despite the fact that he had never fought at that weight limit and had lost two of his last three fights.
Controversies
In early 1998, Roy Jones, Jr. announced that he was relinquishing his WBC World Light Heavyweight Championship. In response, the organization ordered a bout between German contender Graciano RocchigianiGraciano Rocchigiani
Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani , is a former German professional boxer who held world titles in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.-Professional career:...
and former champion Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn is a former American boxer. Nicknamed "Second to Nunn," he was a 6' 2" southpaw with great speed. Nunn was the IBF middleweight champion and the WBA super middleweight champion...
to fill the vacancy, sanctioning it as a world championship match.
On March 21, 1998 Rocchigiani won the fight and a WBC belt; in the subsequent WBC rankings, he was listed as "Light-Heavyweight World Champion." Jones, however, had a change of heart and asked if the WBC would reinstate him as the champion. In a move that violated nearly a dozen of its own regulations, the WBC granted the reinstatement. Rocchigiani received a letter from the WBC advising that the publishing of his name as champion was a typographical error, and he had never really been the official titleholder.
Rocchigiani immediately filed a lawsuit against the WBC in a U.S. federal court
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
, claiming that the organization's actions both were contrary to their own rules and injurious to his earning potential (due to diminished professional stature). On May 7, 2003, the judge ruled in Rocchigiani's favor, awarding him $30 million (U.S.) in damages and reinstating him as a former WBC Champion (Rocchigiani had lost a bout since his WBC Title match).
The following day, the WBC sought protection by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
(i.e., corporate debt restructuring) in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The organization then spent the next 13 months attempting to negotiate a six-figure settlement with Rocchigiani, but Rocchigiani did not at first accept.
On June 11, 2004, the WBC announced it would enter Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation (i.e., business closing and total asset sell-off) proceedings, effectively ending its existence. This action prompted some in the boxing community to plead with Rocchigiani to settle the dispute, which he did in mid-July 2004.
Male
| Weight class: | Champion: | Reign began: |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight | Kazuto Ioka Kazuto Ioka Kazuto Ioka is a strawweight boxer from Japan and the current world champion of WBC at Strawweight. He was born in Osaka Prefecture, grew up in Sakai city, and currently lives in Osaka.-Debut:... |
February 11, 2011 |
| Light flyweight Light flyweight - Professional boxing :The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds . When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this... |
Adrian Hernandez Adrian Hernandez Adrian Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers.-New York Yankees:... |
April 30, 2011 |
| Flyweight Flyweight Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:... |
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Pongsaklek Wonjongkam is a professional southpaw boxer in the flyweight division. His record is 83-3-1 . He is the WBC Flyweight Champion, as well as The Ring World Flyweight Champion... |
March 27, 2010 |
| Super flyweight Super flyweight Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight... |
Suriyan Sor Rungvisai Suriyan Sor Rungvisai Suriyan Sor Rungvisai is a Thai professional boxer in the super flyweight division and is the current World Boxing Council super flyweight champion. Just like other Thai boxers, Suriyan started his career as a Muay Thai boxer since he was very young . He turned to fight in professional boxing since... |
August 19, 2011 |
| Bantamweight Bantamweight Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight... |
Shinsuke Yamanaka Shinsuke Yamanaka is a Japanese professional boxer who is the current WBC bantamweight champion.Yaegashi captured the vacant WBC bantamweight title in his first world title shot against Mexico's Christian Esquivel via an eleventh round technical knockout after knocking him down in the sixth and eleventh rounds at... |
November 6, 2011 |
| Super bantamweight Super Bantamweight Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms.... |
Toshiaki Nishioka Toshiaki Nishioka is a Japanese professional boxer who is the current WBC super bantamweight champion. Nishioka is currently ranked as the #1 super bantamweight in the world by The Ring and ESPN. Unlike most other Japan's world champions, Nishioka has been willing to fight outside of his own country.- 1976 to 1990s... |
December 18, 2008 |
| Featherweight Featherweight Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:... |
Jhonny Gonzalez Jhonny González Jhonny González is a Mexican professional boxer and is the current WBC featherweight champion... |
April 8, 2011 |
| Super featherweight Super Featherweight Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms.... |
Takahiro Aoh Takahiro Aoh is a Japanese professional boxer who fights at featherweight and is the current Japanese featherweight champion. He is the current WBC Super Featherweight Champion.-Professional career:Aoh turned professional in September 2003 at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo... |
November 26, 2010 |
| Lightweight Lightweight Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing.... |
Antonio DeMarco Antonio DeMarco Antonio de Marco Soto is a Mexican professional boxer and the current WBC Lightweight Champion. Antonio is a cousin of three division world champion Humberto Soto.-Lightweight:... |
October 15, 2011 |
| Light welterweight Light welterweight -Professional boxing:The light welterweight class is a weight division in professional boxing that has a limit of 63.5 kg or 140 pounds... |
Erik Morales Erik Morales Érik Isaac Morales Elvira is a Mexican professional boxer. He is the first Mexican born boxer in history to win a world title in four weight classes and is the current WBC Light Welterweight Champion... |
September 17, 2011 |
| Welterweight Welterweight Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system... |
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. |
September 17, 2011 |
| Light middleweight Light middleweight Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds .... |
Saul Alvarez Saul Alvarez Santos Saúl Álvarez Barragán is an undefeated Mexican boxer in the Light Middleweight division. He is the current WBC Light Middleweight champion... |
March 5, 2011 |
| Middleweight Middleweight Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897... |
Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. Julio César Chávez, Jr. Julio César Chávez Carrasco , is an undefeated Mexican boxer and the current WBC Middleweight Champion. His younger brother Omar Chávez is also an undefeated prospect who fights at Welterweight.... |
June 4, 2011 |
| Super middleweight Super middleweight Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s... |
 Carl FrochCarl Froch Carl Froch is an English professional boxer and is a two-time and reigning WBC super middleweight champion. He previously held the British, Commonwealth, & English titles at super middleweight.-Amateur:... |
November 27, 2010 |
| Light heavyweight Light heavyweight In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight... |
Bernard Hopkins Bernard Hopkins Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion... |
May 21, 2011 |
| Cruiserweight |  Krzysztof Włodarczyk |
May 16, 2010 |
| Heavyweight Heavyweight Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing... |
 Vitali KlitschkoVitali Klitschko Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Klychko is a Ukrainian professional heavyweight boxer and the current WBC heavyweight champion. He is a leader of the political party Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe. He previously... |
October 11, 2008 |
Female
{| class="wikitable"!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Weight class:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Champion:
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Date won:
|-
|Atomweight
|
Momo Koseki|2009-05-02
|-
|Strawweight
|
Anabel Ortiz|2009-10-31
|-
|Light flyweight
Light flyweight
- Professional boxing :The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds . When New York legalized boxing in 1920, the law stipulated a "junior flyweight" class, with a weight limit of 99 pounds. When the National Boxing Association was formed in 1921, it also recognized this...
|
Naomi Togashi|2009-05-02
|-
|Flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
|
Simona Galassi|2008-03-29
|-
|Super flyweight
Super flyweight
Super flyweight is a weight division in professional boxing. It is alternatively referred to as junior bantamweight and light bantamweight...
|
Ana María TorresAna María Torres
Ana María Torres is a Mexican boxer, currently rated as the world champion in the super flyweight weight class by the World Boxing Council.-References:* at the Women's Boxing Archive Network...
|2009-02-28
|-
|Bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
|
Usanakornu Kokietgym|2009-10-07
|-
|Super bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
|
Marcela AcuñaMarcela Acuña
Marcela Eliana Acuña is an Argentine female boxer, who is nicknamed La Tigresa. Her mother wished for Acuña to become a ballerina, but that was never Acuña's dream....
|2008-12-04
|-
|Featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
|
Ina Menzer|2008-03-08
|-
|Super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
|
Frida WallbergFrida Wallberg
Frida Wallberg born April 28, 1983 in Åtvidaberg in Östergötland, Sweden.Wallberg is Sweden's most successful female boxer. As an amateur, she won 48 of 53 games before she turned pro in 2004...
|2010-11-27
|-
|Lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
|
Ann Saccurato|2007-09-27
|-
|Super lightweight
|
Monica Silvina Acosta|2009-06-19
|-
|Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
|
Cecilia BrækhusCecilia Brækhus
Cecilia Brækhus is a and , professional Norwegian boxer and a former kickboxer. She is currently the World Champion in Welterweight in the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, World Boxing Organization and World Professional Boxing Federation...
|2009-03-14
|-
|Super welterweight
|
Christy Martin|2009-09-02
|-
|Middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
|
Wang Ya Nan|2008-01-26
|-
|Super middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
|
Natascha RagosinaNatascha Ragosina
Natalia Yurievna Ragozina , better known as Natascha Ragosina, is an undefeated professional boxer currently ranked as the top female super middleweight in the world. Though born in Kazakhstan and currently residing in Germany, she competes professionally for Russia and is of Russian descent...
|2007-02-17
|-
|Light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
|vacant
|
|-
|{|Cruiserweight
|vacant
|
|-
|Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
|vacant
|
|}
Other world organizations
International Boxing Hall of Fame recognized:- International Boxing FederationInternational Boxing FederationThe International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
- World Boxing AssociationWorld Boxing AssociationThe World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
- World Boxing OrganizationWorld Boxing OrganizationThe World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
Other organizations
- International Boxing Association
- International Boxing CouncilInternational Boxing CouncilThe International Boxing Council is a boxing organization. The IBC titles are often the beginning for professional boxers who progress to high prestigious titles....
- International Boxing OrganizationInternational Boxing OrganizationThe International Boxing Organization is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
- World Professional Boxing FederationWorld Professional Boxing FederationThe World Professional Boxing Federation ' is an international sanctioning body that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championship title...
& United States Boxing CouncilUnited States Boxing CouncilThe United States Boxing Council is a governing body that sanctions regional championships bouts. It is an affiliated organization within the World Professional Boxing Federation .-Current USBC Title Holders:- Other world organizations :... - Women's International Boxing AssociationWomen's International Boxing AssociationThe Women's International Boxing Association a sanctioning body for women's professional boxing came into existence in July 2000, and quickly grew into a major force in the sport....
(WIBA)
Affiliated organizations
- World Boxing Council MuaythaiWorld Boxing Council MuaythaiWorld Boxing Council Muaythai or WBC Muaythai is commissioned under the jurisdiction of the World Boxing Council as a non-profit organization to regulate, control and supervise professional Muay Thai events and their respective jurisdictions worldwide...
(WBC Muaythai) - Oriental and Pacific Boxing FederationOriental and Pacific Boxing FederationThe Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian and Pacific region.-History:The OPBF was formed in 1954 by the Japanese, Korean, and Filipino boxing commissions...
(OPBF) - North American Boxing FederationNorth American Boxing FederationThe North American Boxing Federation is a not-for-profit regional sanctioning body that awards regional boxing titles. It is a boxing federation within the World Boxing Council .-History:...
(NABF) - European Boxing UnionEuropean Boxing UnionThe European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
(EBU) - Asian Boxing CouncilAsian Boxing CouncilThe Asian Boxing Council is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian region.-Other regional WBC federations:*North American Boxing Federation *European Boxing Union...
(ABCO) - African Boxing Union (ABU)
- Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE)
- Central American Boxing Federation (FECARBOX)
- CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau (CISBB)
- South American Boxing Federation (FESUBOX)
- Hispanic World Boxing Association (ABMH)
Transitions of WBC titles
- List of WBC world champions
- List of WBC Muay Thai champions
- List of WBC international champions
- List of WBC youth champions
- List of WBC continental Americas champions
- List of WBC Latino champions
- List of WBC Fecarbox champions
- List of WBC CABOFE champions
- List of WBC female world champions