The WBC’s latest ratings update – released June 12 – includes the installation of two new No. 1 contenders.
At bridgerweight: Last month, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (ranked No. 5 at the time) stopped Adam Balski (ranked No. 1 at the time) to win the WBC’s vacant interim title at 224lbs.
With Balski dropping down to No. 6, that left a vacancy for Andrew Tabiti, who moved up from No. 2 to No. 1. Tabiti has a fight on June 13 against Jacob Dickson (unranked).
The WBC’s primary bridgerweight titleholder is Kevin Lerena, who will face Lawrence Okolie at heavyweight on the July 19 undercard of Oleksandr Usyk-Daniel Dubois II.
At junior bantamweight: As of last month, former titleholders Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and Carlos Cuadras had been ranked at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
Now they’ve switched, with Cuadras at No. 1 and Gonzalez at No. 2.
The WBC doesn’t release its rationale, but Gonzalez hasn’t fought since his July 2024 win at bantamweight over the 27-5 Rober Barrera, who at the time was rated No. 40 at 115lbs. Gonzalez hasn’t performed at junior bantamweight since his December 2022 rubber match loss to Juan Francisco Estrada.
Cuadras hasn’t been at 115lbs since November 2023. His last boxing match was in May, when he took a unanimous decision at bantamweight over the 12-5 Luis Guzman Torres (unranked).
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is the WBC titleholder and lineal champion. He will face WBO titleholder Phumelele Cafu on July 19.
Other curiosities: Jermall Charlo went from unrated to being installed at No. 2 at super middleweight following his May TKO win over the unrated Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna. The WBA made the same move with its most recent ratings update.
Manny Pacquiao, who entered the WBC’s ratings at No. 5 last month even though he hasn’t fought for nearly four years, is now no longer in the rankings. Despite that, one imagines Pacquiao’s July 19 fight with Mario Barrios will still be for Barrios’ WBC title.
The WBC’s titleholders and No. 1 contenders in each weight class are:
Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk has the WBA, WBC and WBO world titles. He was previously the undisputed champion before vacating the IBF belt. Usyk remains the lineal champ. Usyk is scheduled to face IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois on July 19 for the undisputed championship.
Agit Kabayel is the WBC’s interim titleholder. Lawrence Okolie is the WBC’s No. 1 contender. Okolie is fighting Kevin Lerena on the undercard of Usyk-Dubois II.
Bridgerweight: Kevin Lerena has the world title; he will face Lawrence Okolie at heavyweight on July 19. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk is the interim titleholder; Andrew Tabiti is the No. 1 contender. Tabiti is fighting Jacob Dickson on June 13.
Cruiserweight: Badou Jack has the world title; Noel Mikaelyan, who was previously the “champion in recess” and just lost to Jack on May 3, is his No. 1 contender. The WBC has ordered a rematch.
The WBC is also creating an interim title for the winner of the June 28 fight between Jean Pascal and Michal Cieslak. The winner of Pascal-Cieslak must face Yamil Peralta.
Light heavyweight: David Benavidez has the WBC world title and also has the WBA’s secondary “regular” title (and is therefore the WBA’s mandatory challenger to one of the three belts held by lineal champion Dmitry Bivol).
Artur Beterbiev is the No. 1 contender for the WBA, WBC and WBO belts. Bivol – who is the IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder – is expected to fight Beterbiev in their rubber match later this year.
Super middleweight: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is the undisputed champion with all four world titles; he is scheduled to defend the undisputed championship against Terence Crawford (unranked at 168lbs) on September 13.
Christian Mbilli is the WBC’s No. 1 contender. His fight with Maciej Sulecki on June 27 is for the WBC’s interim title.
Middleweight: Carlos Adames has the world title; Meiirim Nursultanov is his No. 1 contender.
Junior middleweight: Sebastian Fundora has the WBC world title and is scheduled to have a rematch with Tim Tszyu on July 19. Vergil Ortiz is the WBC’s interim titleholder; Serhii Bohachuk is the WBC’s No. 1 contender.
Welterweight: Mario Barrios has the world title; he is scheduled to face Manny Pacquiao on July 19. Devin Haney is the No. 1 contender.
Junior welterweight: Alberto Puello has the world title; Dalton Smith is his No. 1 contender.
Lightweight: Shakur Stevenson has the world title; William Zepeda is the interim titleholder; Stevenson-Zepeda is scheduled for July 12. Andy Cruz is the No. 1 contender.
Junior lightweight: O’Shaquie Foster has the world title; he is expected to face featherweight titleholder Stephen Fulton on August 16. Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez is the No. 1 contender.
Featherweight: Stephen Fulton has the world title; Bruce Carrington is his No. 1 contender; Rey Vargas is the champion-in-recess.
Junior featherweight: Naoya Inoue is the undisputed champion with all four world titles; Inoue and Murodjon Akhmadaliev are expected to fight on September 14. Alan David Picasso is the WBC’s No. 1 contender.
Bantamweight: Junto Nakatani has the world title; Tenshin Nasukawa is his No. 1 contender.
Junior bantamweight: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has the WBC world title and lineal championship; he is scheduled for a unification bout against WBO titleholder Phumelele Cafu on July 19. Carlos Cuadras is the WBC’s No. 1 contender.
Flyweight: Kenshiro Teraji has the WBA and WBC world titles; he is scheduled to defend against Ricardo Sandoval on July 30.
Galal Yafai is the WBC’s interim titleholder; Francisco Rodriguez Jnr is the WBC’s No. 1 contender. Yafai is scheduled to face Rodriguez on June 21.
Junior flyweight: Panya Pradabsri has the world title; Carlos Canizales, who lost a highly controversial decision to Pradabsri in a fight in December for the vacant belt, is the No. 1 contender and they will meet in a rematch on August 1 in Caracas.
Minimumweight: Melvin Jerusalem has the world title; Knockout CP Freshmart is his No. 1 contender.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
