WBC World Boxing Cup: Eight Weight Divisions! WBC President Jose Sulaiman said the World Cup of Boxing will start next May and will run until the WBC's 50th annual convention near the end of 2012. "This tournament will last about 40 weeks. We have struck a verbal agreement with U.S. television network and expect the participation of every champion within our WBC confederations, and that includes regional, international and silver champions," Sulaiman said Some of the 8 divisions include flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight. Hope its good!:bbb
It doesnt say, just that its w/: "Every champion within our WBC confederations, and that includes regional, international and silver champions"
The biggest story to come out of this day was that the WBC is making an absolutely gigantic tournament. The 40 week tournament called the "WBC World Cup" will span 8 weight classes and will be televised in the US. The included weight classes are Fly, Bantam, Feather, Light, Welter, Middle, Heavy and one more. Light Heavy was the originally included but there were some qualms with some of the smaller countries not having proper representation in that weight class. The final weight class is likely to be super middle, because we need more super middle weight tournaments. Honestly, these weight classes should be the only weight classes in boxing, but that's just my opinion. The participants will be chosen from "various confederation countries of the WBC, silver champions, etc." It's going to be four rounds for each weight class with cash prizes for the winners of each round. First round $40,000, second round $50,000, third round $60,000 and $250,000 for the finals, meaning that the winner of each weight class will earn $400,000 for the entire tourney. Best case scenario means that a fighter would average $100,000 per fight, but drops to only $50,000/fight for a fighter that loses in the finals. This tournament would start in May 2012. This is an interesting concept, but this has mess written all over it. If we could take away any lessons from the Super Six, it is that backup plans are necessary and that shorter is better. The length might be ok but with the escalating cash prizes, I have no idea how the WBC is going to deal with injuries and replacements. Seems like an alright idea if you are a second-tier veteran, but if you are a prospect or decent draw, you don't accept this invitation. Too much risk and not enough reward for a young fighter to be the 0 on the line. As a side note, the WBC is going to take all of the profits from this tournament and put it into the WBC pension fund.
Here's how the Tournament I think will play out. 40 Weeks is not a long time, so assuming these are 10-12 rounders each, I am going to believe that they are going to have a maximum of 7 fights per champion during the tournament. that would leave about a 6-7 week down time between fights. Now that would lead me to believe that if this is a single elimination tournament it would be a field of about 32 guys per weight class, So the WBC Silver Champion, WBC International, WBC International Silver, Interim WBC Champion, WBC USNBC, NABF, WBC Baltic, WBC Baltic Silver, WBC Latino, FECARBOX, FECOMBOX, WBC ABCO, Continental Americas, WBC Youth, Interim WBC Youth, WBC Youth Intercontinental, EBU, EBU-EU, EBU-EE, CABOFE, FESUBOX, WBC Mediterranean, Mundo Hispano, OPBF, ABMH, WBC ACC, CISBB, BBBofC, ABU. And any interim champions that I didn't add to that list. (Jesus Christ Sulaiman is making at least a couple thousand dollars off each of those guys in belt fees)
Seeding at Heavyweight might look like this. 1.CHAMPION: VITALI KLITSCHKO (UKRAINE) 2. Chris Arreola (US) (#1 Contender)* 3. Alexander Dimitrenko (Germany) EBU 4.Bermane Stiverne (Canada) SILVER 5.Johnathon Banks (US) NABF 6.Chauncy Welliver (US) AMERICA/ABCO 7.Mariusz Wach (Poland) INTL 8.Eric Molina (US) USNBC 9. Tyson Fury (GB) BBB C / COMM** * dose not hold any WBC championship might not be included ** replaces Arreola Rather Chris Arreola or Tyson Fury gets the nod VITALI KLITSCHKO is going to win.