The Championships Committee of the World Boxing Association (WBA) sent a new communication to the teams of Hiroto Kyoguchi and Esteban Bermudez granting a period of 10 days to submit the signed bout contracts, the period expires this Friday, January 7. Kyoguchi is the light flyweight super champion, while Bermudez is the regular champion. As part of the WBA’s title reduction plan, the fight will crown one WBA champion in the 108lb division.
The communication was sent last December 29 and the bout must take place before February 9, 2022, since the 90-day term expires on that date since both teams announced to the entity that they had reached an agreement for the fight for the light flyweight title.
The WBA ordered the fight last June 10, 2021 and gave a period of one month until July 11 for them to reach an agreement. Subsequently, on August 18, the committee sent a reminder and gave 10 days to negotiate until the 28th of the same month.
On October 20, another notice was sent out giving them 15 days to send the fight contracts before considering a bidding process. On November 5, this period ended and the bidding was called for November 12.
On November 11, 2021, one day before the auction, both teams (Matchroom and Greg Cohen) informed that they had reached an agreement for the fight and the auction was called off, and they had until November 22 to send the contracts.
On December 14, 2021 they still had not submitted the contracts and as a courtesy they were given until December 20, 2021.
However, last December 29 there was no news about them, so a new deadline was sent.
Failure to submit the contracts will entitle the WBA to apply rule D15, which states that if the champion does not sign a fight contract within the required period of twenty (20) days after the awarding of the bid or refuses to participate in the fight by the winning promoter, he will be considered in violation of these rules and his title may be vacated.
In addition to Rule D-16, which explains that if a qualified bid is not received in response to the first auction request or if the winning promoter or a boxer identified in the auction award fails to comply with these rules, the Committee may request a second auction. In the case of a title defense, if a qualified bid is not received in response to a second auction, the Chairman may vacate the title and the position of mandatory challenger.