Connect with us

Boxing

The WBC has no lightweight title following Stevenson’s transfer

Published

on

Image: WBC Lists Lightweight Title Vacant After Stevenson Moves Up

Shakur Stevenson’s move to welterweight quietly took the WBC lightweight title out of circulation, leaving the 135-pound division deadlocked without an vigorous champion.

The 135-pound division is finally seeing some movement, although it comes after months of unnecessary waiting. Shakur Stevenson’s jump to junior welterweight effectively wiped the WBC lightweight title off the map, leaving a weight class once full of momentum sitting in a neutral position.


Stevenson defeated Teofimo Lopez last weekend to win the WBO 140-pound title. This victory marked his fourth conquest of the division, although he never actually said whether he planned to return to defend his lightweight belt. The February 3 WBC ratings update provided the answer fans were looking for. The promotion now considers the lightweight championship vacant.

There was no massive announcement or explanation from the WBC. It is still unclear whether Stevenson has officially vacated the title or whether the sanctioning body has stripped him of the title due to his weight escalate. The lack of communication reflects the confusion that has plagued the department for months.

The top contenders spent Stevenson’s 140-pound campaign in holding mode. A better approach would be to advertise the vacancy when Stevenson signed to fight at a higher weight. Allowing him to hold on, the WBC froze mandatory challengers.

The latest update doesn’t fully fix this mess either. Interim titleholder Jadier Herrera, who stopped Ricardo Nunez in January, has not been named full champion. While Herrera’s victory improved a compact portion of the rankings, it did not close the gap at the top of the standings.

William Zepeda is currently in first place. Zepeda is a familiar face in the position, having previously held the interim belt before losing a decision to Stevenson last July. His current ranking is more about Stevenson leaving than creating a recent opportunity.

The rest of the WBC lightweight top 15 includes:

  1. William Zepeda
  2. Lamont Roach Jr.
  3. Andy Cruz
  4. Dmitry Asanau
  5. Sam Noakes
  6. Justyna Paulo
  7. Ricardo Nunez
  8. Joe Cordina
  9. Shu Utsuki
  10. Bakhodur Usmonov
  11. Lucas Bahdi
  12. Jordan White
  13. Alan Abel Chaves
  14. Armand Rabi
  15. Albert Bell

The WBC lightweight title is just a name on the list at the moment. Whether Stevenson left or was pushed, the result is identical. The division must deal with the effects of a long delay that has already sapped energy from the 135-pound weight class.

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Categories Shakur Stevenson

Last update: March 2, 2026

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Tyson Fury ‘very interested’ in fighting ‘one of the most avoided heavyweights’: ‘Let’s do it’

Published

on

Tyson Fury ‘very interested’ in facing ‘one of the most avoided heavyweights’: “Let’s make it happen”

Tyson Fury is set to take part in the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua, but first he needs a warm-up. Now another challenger has been added to the fight, and Fury is “very interested” in the proposed fight.

The long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua has finally been signed and will take place pending success in their tune-up fights. While Joshua is scheduled to face Kristian Prenga next month, Fury remains without an opponent for his August outing.

Promoter Frank Warren promised a “good” opponent but he recently ruled out the possibility of the “Gypsy King” facing Joshua’s former defeater Andy Ruiz Jr., who is believed to have priced himself out of the fight.

I’m talking to Play UKJoshua’s other rival, Jarrell Miller, has revealed that Fury is “very interested” in fighting him as he discusses a potential all-American clash with Deontay Wilder.

“I’ve been one of the most avoided heavyweights for a long time. We’re seeing it now. We’re trying to get Deontay Wilder out there. There’s no fight in front of him. I’m the top heavyweight in America right now, so we’re trying to make certain things happen. Let’s see if he can take control.”

“Tyson Fury is also very interested. I would love to fight these guys. Deontay or Tyson would be a wonderful fight for me. Let’s see if we can make it happen.”

Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, recently confirmed both fighters’ desire to make the fight happen, but said Miller would likely not be able to complete a full training camp on time.

The American has already scored two victories in 2026, defeating both Kingsley Ibeh and Lenier Pero, and the 37-year-old hopes those triumphs will earn him another chance on the huge stage.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Zuffa Boxing Dublin card confirmed for August 8 at 3Arena

Published

on

Zuffa Boxing has announced that its first event in Ireland, branded Zuffa Boxing 10, will take place on Saturday, August 8 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Organizers of the promotion, headed by Dana White, said details about the main event, joint performance and ticket sales will be announced soon.

According to the promotion, the card will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streamed on Paramount+ in the US and Canada. Its broadcasts in the UK and Ireland are covered by a long-term contract with Sky Sports announced in March.

The expected headliner of the Cork middleweight gala will be Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KO). according to 42 and Irish boxing, although Zuffa has not confirmed this card. Walsh won Zuffa Boxing’s debut event on January 23 in Las Vegas with a unanimous decision over Carlos Ocampo and has not fought since. The Cobh native, trained by Freddie Roach, fought mainly in the United States, but once boxed in Dublin, headlining the 3Arena gala after his victory over Przemysław Runowski.

The 42 reports that Monaghan’s Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KO) is set to be the main support for an IBF middleweight world title fight against Italian Etinosa Oliha (22-0, 10 KO). Both pairs are expected to fight for the vacant belt that became available after Janibek Alimkhanuly was stripped of his belt following a failed anti-doping test. McKenna is third in the IBF rankings and Oliha is second.

Dublin will be Zuffa Boxing’s second card outside the United States. The first event, Zuffa Boxing 07, will take place this Saturday at the Bournemouth International Center in England, where former world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith will face Ryan Rozicki in a 10-round cruiserweight main event.

The August 8 date means the Dublin gala will take place a week after Queensberry Promotions’ show at the same venue, headlined by Pierce O’Leary against Mark Chamberlain, with Tyson Fury scheduled to appear.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Frank Warren says Tyson Fury will do what Daniel Dubois did to Joshua

Published

on

Image: Frank Warren Says Tyson Fury Will Do What Daniel Dubois Did To Joshua

Frank Warren believes Tyson Fury will not only beat Anthony Joshua when the long-awaited heavyweight clash finally happens, but also stop him.

The All-British clash is scheduled for November, after a delay from its earlier summer date. Warren confirmed that Fury signed a contract for the fight in January, and both men are expected to undergo interim fights before the fight becomes official.


When asked how he sees the fight developing, Warren made it clear he expected Fury to win and pointed to Joshua’s knockout loss to Daniel Dubois as a major factor.

“I think Tyson will win,” Warren told Secondsout, predicting a Tyson Fury knockout over Joshua.

“I think Tyson will stop him.

“Did you see him fight Daniel Dubois? That gives me that confidence. I was sure Daniel Dubois would do it and he did it, and I’m sure Tyson will do the same in brief order, no matter what catches him.”

Earlier in the interview, Warren also suggested that Joshua was still feeling the effects of the Dubois defeat.

“He has the specter and cloud of what happened when he fought Daniel Dubois hanging over him. So, you know, he’s vulnerable if he gets caught now,” Warren said.

Joshua is scheduled to return on July 25 against Kristian Pregna, while Fury is scheduled to fight his own warm-up fight before November. Warren said the location for the proposed blockbuster has yet to be determined, though he confirmed the fight remains signed and will likely take place later this year, provided both heavyweights win their fights.

Youtube video

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Categories Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury

Last update: 2026/06/04 at 23:14

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending