WBC Statement: The World Boxing Council has learned that the International Boxing Association (IBA) recently: (1) organized, advertised, and publicized an event called IBA’s Champion Night; and (2) awarded a boxing belt in connection therewith confusingly similar to the WBC Championship Belt. In short, IBA is using the Intellectual Property Assets of the WBC in an infringing manner and without authorization of the WBC as the assets’ rightful owner. (See side-to-side images of IBA’s infringing belt and the WBC famous World Championship Belt).
The WBC wants to make it absolutely clear that it has put IBA on notice of the WBC’s complete rejection and opposition to IBA’s unauthorized use of a belt that is confusingly similar to the iconic WBC World Championship Belt. The WBC has also informed IBA and it will take any legal measures available to stop IBA’s infringing activities and to seek appropriate redress therefrom. The WBC is in no way associated with IBA.
In its recent Annual Convention, the WBC ratified its positions: (1) not to allow any WBC activity in Russian or Belarus’ territories; (2) not to recognize any boxers from those countries as holding any WBC privilege (championship, mandatory positions, etc.); and (3) to take all boxers from those two countries out of the WBC Ratings. In the meantime, IBA continues to allow competition in those two countries, as well as, national for those countries competing in IBA`s tournaments. The WBC rejects and denounces IBA’s activities therein.
The WBC has declared publicly its support of the International Olympic Committee’s justified concerns about the lack of leadership and scandals in which AIBA (IBA’s predecessor) and now IBA have been involved in recent years. Consistent with the position the entire world boxing community has taken, the WBC fully supports the continuation of boxing competition in the Olympic Games.
The WBC would also like to publicly declare its denunciation of IBA’s charter and mission to mix professional and amateur boxing. IBA’s policies in that regard are dangerous because they foster dangerous fights between athletes that range on levels of competition that endanger the health and safety of participants. There is absolutely no criteria in regards to the levels of competition. Consequently, IBA’s approach has created a huge disadvantage to the majority of the amateur boxing programs throughout the world.
Why bother, just the flags of country’s around the rim is the only thing. Its not like someone will mistaken it for a WBC belt.
So you don’t see the Fighter in the middle?… The “World Champion” in the same location as the WBC Belt?….Nor the size and shape of the gold part? A few more “minor” changes and it can CLEARLY be misconstrued as being part of the WBC.
Seems to be a case of my meaningless trinket is better than your meaningless trinket.
Nope, not alike! Nice try wbc but, no!
To win a case where the claim is infringing on a design you have to show one thing.
Does the design have a clear likeness. It does not have to be exact. Clear likeness on Text, flags, shape, style. You cant for example copy something and change a color or flag styles and call it different. The WBC needs only note items that are alike. For example boxer in the middle. They dont have to be the same size or shape. Flags around the boarder, again dont have to be the same flags in the same order. This is a design copy.
I dont agree with punishing Russian Boxers. If a fighter worked their way up through the WBC rankings, they shouldnt be dropped just because of politics. The biggest companies and influencers get copied all the time. Its called setting trends.
You use Ali’s likeness to promote and bring legitimacy to your belt. Meaning- you borrowed from someone else in the design of your belt.
Sounds a whole lot like ‘sour grapes’ on the part of the WBC. Since ALL the alphabet soup organizations in boxing have credibility issues, maybe the new alphabet soup organization is seizing the opportunity to be cleaned up and legitimate. Obviously, that is something that has been needed for years in boxing
Ridiculous
The WBC will win the case. They usually get judges that are easily influenced by them
No one in their right mind would confuse the IBA’s worthless strap for the WBC’s worthless strap. If anything, the WBC just made their butthurt worse by giving the IBA (which I honestly thought had folded up) publicity. Way to Streisand Effect, WBC.