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Ryan Garcia has a clear path to his first defense of the WBC welterweight title

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Ryan Garcia holds the WBC welterweight title after defeating Mario Barrios

Ryan Garcia’s victory over Mario Barrios on Saturday not only secured him the WBC welterweight title. This placed the novel champion in a part of the structure where his first defense is not yet dictated by law enforcement.

The WBC landscape leaves room for flexibility

There is no interim champion, and no final eliminator determined a mandatory challenger. Latest WBC welterweight rankings were updated on February 3, before Garcia’s victory, meaning the governing body did not formally reshape the division around a novel title holder.

Silver champion Souleymane Cissokho has recognized status. Raul Curiel holds the NABF position.

BrianNorman Jr. and Eimantas Stanionis remain among the top contenders. However, none of them currently have enforceable compulsory rights or portfolio bargaining leverage.

With no eliminator ordered or contractual obligations attached to the belt, the WBC is under no immediate pressure to force Garcia to defend against a regular challenger.

Without an eliminator, Garcia has room for a voluntary defense that really matters.

A importance that will likely lead the first defense

Garcia publicly challenged Shakur Stevenson immediately after defeating Barrios. Under the current structure, a fight of this scale would be within the champion’s voluntary window and would not conflict with WBC protocol.

This reality makes Garcia’s explanation of Stevenson less theoretical and more structurally possible.

The same framework applies to other high-profile options. Reuniting with WBO and IBF 147-pounder Devin Haney would signify the importance of the division.

A commercially significant event involving Gervonta Davis would also fall within the scope of the voluntary defense, provided the business and catchweight sides align.

When no eliminator decided the issue, the WBC has traditionally allowed marquee fights to go ahead.

In Garcia’s case, the lack of an eliminator means the organization retains discretion to set a deadline rather than being forced to make a decision.

Golden Boy

The players have a clearer path

For others looking for a position, the route is more direct.

If Conor Benn intends to enter the WBC title conversation, strengthening his position against an established challenger such as Cissokho or another top-15 opponent would be more structurally critical than waiting for discretionary approval.

Until an eliminator is ordered and a mandatory challenger is formally installed, Garcia’s first defense of the WBC welterweight title will be shaped more by importance than obligation.

Garcia has direct choice, but the governing body decides when that flexibility tightens.

The flexibility is available for now and will only last until the WBC orders an eliminator and installs a formal mandatory challenger.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Eddie Hearn questions Dana White’s boxing future

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Image: Eddie Hearn Questions Whether Dana White Can Handle Boxing

“I just don’t think they’re going to face the fire,” Hearn told iFL TV about Dana White and his company at Zuffa.

“You have years of catching, putting out fires and being bombarded with pellets and grenades to overcome this.

“I just don’t think they’ll be ready for the fire. You must be a little unwell.” [__] to do this. That’s what I do.”

Hearn also ridiculed White’s recent comments about boxing promotion and said the UFC president faces criticism now that he is in the boxing industry.

“He stank,” Hearn said.

“He’s not used to this. Don’t forget what we do, which is meeting people, giving interviews. But he had a narrative.

“He didn’t have anyone like that. That’s why he can’t do it and instead just says weird lyrics.”

Hearn later joked that White’s repeated comments about him actually helped escalate his visibility in the United States.

“I have to thank Dana White,” Hearn said.

“Every press conference he holds, he talks about me.

“I think there are people asking, ‘Who is this Eddie Hearn?’ Little Google, boss, Eddie Hearn.

Promoter Matchroom also rejected White’s recent claim that no promoter has staged more boxing events this year than Zuffa Boxing.

“The entire media audience responded, ‘Okay,’ and moved on to the next question,” Hearn said.

“Imagine if I said that. I would be fried by it in an instant.”

Hearn’s latest comments come as Zuffa Boxing continues to try to establish itself in the sport following months of public photos between White and several longtime boxing promoters.

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Roy Jones Jr Says There’s ‘Only One Fight Ahead’ for David Benavidez: ‘You’ll Beat Everyone’

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Roy Jones Jr says there is ‘only one fight’ for David Benavidez next: “You beat everyone else”

Roy Jones Jr urged David Benavidez to follow in his footsteps rather than fight Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed lithe heavyweight clash.

The “Mexican Monster” appears the sixth round ended with a victory over Gilberto Ramirezwhom he dethroned earlier this month to become three-division world champion.

However, despite winning the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles, Benavidez expressed interest in returning to 175 pounds, where he still holds the WBC belt.

That would mean chasing unified champion Bivol, who must first defeat IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.

The Russian hasn’t fought since he overtook Artur Beterbiev in February 2025, when he exacted revenge by majority decision and became the undisputed king.

Bivol then vacated the WBC title after deciding to undergo back surgery, which allowed Benavidez to be promoted from “interim” to full champion.

But rather than return to lithe heavyweight, Jones would prefer to see Benavidez test his skills at heavyweight, as he did against John Ruiz in 2003.

In a conversation with professional boxing fans, the pound-for-pound legend said that a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who still holds the WBC, IBF and WBA titles, is the only fight that makes sense for him.

“This is the only fight for him right now and the only fight I want to see him in.

“You beat everyone in every other category, [so] go upstairs and fight Usyk. This is the best fight for him.”

While Benavidez has expressed a desire to challenge Usyk at heavyweight, he has said he won’t be ramping up his weight gain anytime soon and is therefore much more likely to receive his next assignment against Bivol.

It then remains to be seen whether Usyk will stay in the sport long enough to face the 29-year-old, which could end up fighting another heavyweight champion.

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Keyshawn Davis missed weight again for the rematch

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Image: Keyshawn Davis Misses Weight Again Ahead Of Nahir Albright Rematch

The weigh-ins quickly turned tense when Albright apparently sent a message directly to Davis during their bout.

“Be a professional,” Albright said in a recording later released by DAZN Boxing.

The lack of weight immediately sparked a backlash online, as Davis has dealt with weight issues before. Last year, Davis lost his WBO lightweight title after losing more than four pounds ahead of his scheduled defense against Edwin De Los Santos.

Friday also marked the second time Davis has failed to make weight in his last three fights.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum admitted that Davis was having difficulty gaining 140 pounds and suggested that the problem may still exist.

“Well, obviously he has issues at 140,” Arum told Fighthype. “The problem is the next category is seven pounds. That’s a gigantic difference.”

Arum also compared Friday’s setback to the loss of Davis, who was previously more than four pounds compact before his canceled fight with De Los Santos last year.

“It was inexcusable because he was five pounds overweight,” Arum said.

“He is now 0.1 weight off which he will improve and get down to 140 or less.”

Keyshawn was later asked by DAZN what he told Albright during Friday’s matchup.

“I didn’t say anything,” Davis said. “That’s what I do. I knock people out.”

When asked what kind of performance he expected in the rematch, Keyshawn gave a compact answer.

“An unexpected spectacle.”

There was already bad blood in the rematch after their first fight in October 2023 was later changed to a no-contest after Keyshawn tested positive for marijuana. Their original meeting initially resulted in Keyshawn winning by a majority vote.

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