The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee sent a communication to the team of the super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa to inform them that his WBA super bantamweight title will be vacated once he steps into the ring on September 18 in a unification fight against Stephan Fulton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Due to WBO restrictions, Figueroa’s WBA title cannot be at stake during that fight. According to WBA Rule C-10 10 “unsanctioned fights”, a WBA champion or an officially recognized contender who participates in a fight without the approval or sanction of the Championships Committee, may lose his title or recognized status.
As a result, Figueroa’s super bantamweight title will be vacant as of September 18.
Another example of how meaningless “titles” are now.
“Due to WBO restrictions, Figueroa’s WBA title cannot be at stake during that fight.”
Bullsh*t. It’s the WBA saying no unification. I cannot believe how trashy the WBA is, over the weekend the announcers on DAZN were saying they’re going to stop calling WBA title fights “championship fights”, because they’re not, they’re like “WBA club fights”.
It is sad how little shame they have. I would be embarrassed to approve a decision such as this. These fighters are doing what they are supposed to do…fight each other. It is a shame that they are penalizing/stripping a fighter for this.
GARBAGE! They offer up 3 belts per weight, strip belts from fighters arranging the next one, or because they won’t sanction a legitimate opponent, then slide up a Interim or Regular titlist to a higher tier right after they keep creating the vacancies. They think it will give them more fees, but don’t care that the dilution of the belts means fans dilute attention and attendance. Promoters earn less, and bid less for fights. The sanctioning fees are a % of purses so who does this benefit? Nobody! Not even the least deserving of benefit (WBA) Such a joke.
Every one of these sanctioning bodies are stupid, lack intelligence and are downright CORRUPT!! Fighters do all the heavy lifting and these crooks collect fees….
I also wonder if they would do something like this to, say, Canelo or any other athlete that can bring a lot of money?
Murodjon Akhmadaliev is the WBA champion at that weight, anyway. Figueroa holds a secondary minor belt. In reality this WBO fight is his first title fight.
Another case of the WBA muddying the dirty waters further…