The World Boxing Association (WBA) declared heavyweight Mahmoud Charr as champion in recess after 38 months without defending the world title.
Interim champion Trevor Bryan and challenger Bermain Stiverne will fight for the championship tonight in Florida, and the winner will have to fight Charr in a period not exceeding 120 days, according to a resolution issued by the Championships Committee of the pioneer organization.
The decision was made strictly based on WBA regulations. As Rule C.14 dictates, all boxers, promoters and representatives are obliged to know and familiarize themselves with the WBA regulations. On the other hand, Rule C.22-24 states that when a champion is unable to defend the title belt at the time specified, whether for medical, legal or any other reason beyond his control, the Committee may appoint him as champion in recess and call the official contenders to fight.
Based on the above, the WBA presumes that Charr knows the internal rules and knows that he must defend within the time limits. At this moment he has more than three years without stepping into the ring.
The organization understands that Charr is willing to fight but a cause beyond his control prevented him from making the defense scheduled for this week. On the other hand, obtaining U.S. visas, one of the obstacles he had, is a situation beyond the control of the World Boxing Association. Now, as champion in recess, Charr will be able to solve his legal and business situation and be ready to fight in the coming months.
Now Bryan, WBA interim champion, and his representative company Don King Promotions, made the request to face Stiverne, an opponent who meets the requirements to fight for the championship.
The winner must fight Charr by May 30, 2021. In the event of a draw, Bryan will face Charr before the aforementioned date.
…..what can one even say? Bermane lost his last two fights badly by one-sided stoppages, so the WBA gives him a heavyweight title fight. This may be the final sleazy move that sinks the WBA forever. Hopefully it will.
Agreed, but as far as this being the move that finally sinks the WBA, how would that be? They, along with the other sanctioning bodies, have been corrupt for years. The casual boxing fan…..which I imagine the vast majority of boxing fans are….might not pay close enough attention to see the corruption going on here. Either way, who’s going to do anything about it? Again, there’s really no oversight. King is in his 6th decade in the sport, and he’s always been corrupt. It’s no secret. There’s been books written about it. This won’t sink the WBA. They’ll continue doing this as long as they want, and unfortunately, there’s nobody to stop it.
Meeting the requirements to fight for the title probably means paying the sanctioning fee.
….and signing with King
If only Lovejoy was still on the card, he could have been fighting for the title.
Crappers!
Canelo could’ve bumped up and became heavyweight champ against any of these chumps!!!!
That would’ve really p!ssed off the haters!!!!!!!!
Shamelessly corrupts and limitless greedy. Not matter who is the fighter or how bad his record is, WBA validate any fight as a world title affair, in order to collect a sanctioning fee. They should be sent to the electric chair and meke them pay the electricity bill too.
Another foot in the grave for boxing.
Did WBA write this themselves?
Not obtaining a visa because a contract was not signed by DK … Wonder how much the WBA got paid for this ….
smh
Bryan has only fought 8 guys with a winning record. How did he even get there?
The WBA is the worst. They have 2-3 champions in each weight class and always seem to do weird sh.. in order to make more money for their pockets!
I can normally understand when things happen, but Im lost on this. Bermain Stiverne is rated #70 in the world and still an opponent who meets the requirements to fight for the championship. Are the requirements breathing? He has one win in the last six years and was totally destroyed in the Wilder rematch, But he’s able to fight for a championship? Hell I have nothing going on tonight, let me know how to sign up for this fight.
In the end boxing fans only see two world hw champions. Shame its not just one, but maybe next year.