Why is Vitali allowed to sit on the WBC title like a Lame Duck

Under WBC rules he should be designated as champion in recess or Emeritus

as per their own rules below
ARTICLE III - CHAMPIONSHIP OBLIGATIONS

3.1 Timing of Defenses. A WBC champion shall defend the title in mandatory or voluntary

defenses at least three (3) times a year, unless a written exception or extension is granted by

the WBC in its sole discretion. Therefore, a champion must defend his title every one

hundred twenty (120) unless otherwise permitted by the WBC in its sole discretion. Upon

10

winning a title, a champion must defend the title within 90 to 120 days as ordered by the

WBC, and thereafter every 120 days, in each case unless otherwise ordered or permitted by

the WBC in its sole discretion.

3.2 Recognition Subject to Forfeit. A champion who does not defend his title within the

periods set forth herein shall forfeit his title, unless the WBC in its sole discretion otherwise

permits. Further, the WBC may also withdraw recognition of a mandatory or qualifying

challenger for inactivity or failure to engage in any bout ordered by the WBC. A WBC

champion may not hold a championship of another organization unless permitted by the

WBC in its sole discretion.

3.3 Qualified Challengers. Champions shall defend their titles, either in a voluntary or

mandatory defense, against a challenger (each, a “Qualified Challenger”) in one of the

following categories:

(a) any of the top ten (10) rated contenders; or

(b) with the approval of or ratification by a majority of the Board of Governors,

(c) under special circumstances and with the approval of or ratification by two-third

i. any boxer rated 11 to 15;

ii. a champion or a highly-rated boxer of another weight division;

iii. another WBC champion, such as a WBC Diamond or Silver Champion,

Champion Emeritus, or Champion in Recess;

iv. a former world champion or other elite challenger;

v. a champion of another boxing organization recognized by the WBC; or

rd

(2/3

) of the Board of Governors, a contender not otherwise listed in one or more of

the above categories.

3.4 Voluntary Defenses. In order to fulfill their requirement to defend the title regularly in a

timely manner, champions shall propose voluntary defenses against Qualified Challengers

as defined above. No bout shall qualify as a voluntary defense other than as permitted by

the WBC in accordance with these Rules and Regulations. Unification bouts with

champions of other organizations recognized by the WBC must be specifically requested

and may be approved, denied, or made subject to special conditions by the WBC in its sole

discretion.

3.5 Mandatory Defense Obligations. All WBC champions shall make at least one (1)

mandatory defense per year, unless an exception is granted by the WBC in its sole

discretion. A champion may be required to make more than one mandatory defense per

year, if the WBC has designated more than one mandatory challenger for any reason. No

bout shall be considered a mandatory defense unless specifically approved by the WBC and

made exclusively against an official mandatory challenger designated by the WBC. A

challenger who wins the title shall automatically inherit the mandatory defense obligations

of the champion he defeated, unless the WBC in its sole discretion otherwise directs.

3.6 Timing and Extensions of Mandatory Defense Obligations. The time periods for

mandatory defenses stated in these Rules may be altered by the WBC in its sole discretion

under special circumstances, including if a champion has defended the title in a voluntary

defense against a contender the WBC may have deemed a mandatory challenger. No

mandatory bout may be contested until such time as is required for a mandatory defense

11

under these Rules and Regulations, including any extensions that may be granted by the

WBC in its sole discretion.

3.7 Designation of Mandatory Challengers. The WBC shall always have the discretion to

designate a mandatory challenger by:

(a) ordering a final elimination bout of two qualified contenders; or

(b) designating as official mandatory challenger a Qualified Challenger.

For the avoidance of doubt, the highest rated (or the highest rated available) boxer in the

WBC rankings is never, solely by virtue of such position, the official mandatory challenger.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, including any communications attributed to the

WBC, no boxer shall be considered as or claim any privileges associated with being a

mandatory challenger unless (i) the boxer has been officially designated as such by the

WBC Presidency, and (ii) the WBC Board of Governors has voted to appoint or ratify the

designation of such boxer as mandatory challenger.

3.8 Special Bout Sanction. Under special circumstances, such as a match involving an elite

contender, a unification bout, or other match that the WBC determines in its sole discretion

would be in the best interests of boxing, the WBC may order and/or sanction such bout as

either a voluntary or mandatory defense, and may order that such special bout take

precedence over and occur prior to any previously designated mandatory defense.

Under the circumstances set forth in the preceding paragraph, any previously-designated

mandatory challenge may be ordered by the WBC: (i) to occur immediately after the

special bout with no intervening bout, (ii) to be rescheduled to occur after one or more

voluntary bouts, or (ii) postponed by the WBC until such time as the champion is required

to defend against his next mandatory challenger, including any extensions that may be

granted by the WBC in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.

3.9 Elimination Bouts. The WBC may order one or more qualifying or elimination bouts and

tournaments to determine ratings and to select the boxers that will compete in a final

elimination bout to designate an official mandatory challenger. Therefore, not all

elimination bouts are necessarily to designate the official mandatory challenger, and the

winner of an elimination bout does not become mandatory challenger unless such bout has

been sanctioned by the WBC explicitly as a Final Elimination Bout.

Only the winner of a Final Elimination Bout shall become a mandatory challenger, and

shall be subject to the provisions of these Rules and Regulations and such additional

conditions and exceptions as may be imposed by the WBC in its discretion on a case-bycase basis.

3.10 Suspension or Withdrawal of Recognition Following Elimination Bout. Following an

elimination or final elimination contest, the WBC may withdraw recognition of the winner

of such bout as a qualifying or mandatory challenger if the WBC in its sole discretion

determines: the outcome of the match was controversial or irregular; that despite winning

the bout, the winner’s performance was unsatisfactory or did not demonstrate the merit to

advance; if a winner remains inactive for an extended period in advance of his final

elimination or championship bout; or if it otherwise serves the best interests of the sport.

 

12

Under such circumstances, the WBC may order a rematch, order one or more additional

qualifying, elimination, or final elimination bouts that include or exclude one or both of the

previous contenders, or designate as a mandatory contender a Qualified Challenger under

Rule 3.4.

3.11 Immediate Rematch Policy. The WBC does not recognize immediate rematch clauses in

bout agreements and will not sanction or authorize immediate rematches, unless it

determines in its sole discretion, with the approval of or ratification by two-third (2/3

the Board of Governors, that:

(a) the conduct or result of the bout was controversial or irregular;

(b) there is sufficient public demand; or

(c) a direct rematch would otherwise be in the best interests of boxing.

3.12 Immediate Rematches. If the WBC determines that a rematch is appropriate pursuant to the

preceding rule, it may order the rematch as a mandatory bout, permit a requested rematch as

a voluntary bout, or sanction the bout as a special bout under Rule 3.8.

If such a rematch is ordered, the winner of the immediate rematch must comply with

mandatory defense obligations existing at the time of the original contest, and a previously

designated official mandatory challenger shall instead face the winner of the immediate

rematch without an intervening bout, unless an exception is granted by the WBC in its sole

discretion.

3.13 Rematch after intervening contest. The WBC may also order a rematch as a mandatory

defense after allowing an intervening contest. In such a case, the winner of the intervening

contest must face the other participant in the original bout and must comply with mandatory

defense obligations existing at the time of the original bout, unless an exception due to

special circumstances is granted by the WBC in its sole discretion.

3.14 Non-Title Bouts. A WBC Champion must always defend the WBC title if he boxes in the

same weight division as his championship. A WBC Champion may not engage in any title

or non-title bout in his weight division, or a title or non-title bout in any other weight

division, without requesting and receiving a written sanction of the bout from the WBC.

In such circumstances, the WBC may in its sole discretion authorize a WBC champion to

engage in such a contest, provided, however, that the WBC Champion has requested and

consented that the proposed bout be sanctioned as a WBC Special Event to be governed by

the WBC’s Rules and Regulations, and pays all sanction fees required pursuant to Rule 7.

The champion’s title is subject to forfeiture for any failure to comply with this Rule.

3.15 Withdrawal or Suspension of Recognition for Cause. The privilege, trademark, and other

intellectual property associated with any WBC championship or WBC-sanctioned bout are

each owned exclusively by the WBC. Therefore, the WBC may suspend or withdraw

recognition of a boxer as a WBC champion, challenger, or contender for cause, as it may

determine in its sole discretion. Cause may consist of any reason justifying suspension or

withdrawal, including but not limited to violation of the WBC Constitution or these Rules

and Regulations, holding the title of another boxing organization without the approval or

13

sanction of the WBC, or conviction and imprisonment for a crime involving moral turpitude

or other serious moral offense.

3.16 Petition for Reconsideration. In the event that WBC recognition is suspended or withdrawn

under these Rules, such action will be deemed final, and the WBC may undertake any

action to fill a vacant title or establish challengers as it may deem appropriate in its sole

discretion, provided, however, that the affected party may request reconsideration solely in

accordance with Article V hereof.

3.17 Filling a Vacant Title. If a title becomes vacant for any reason, the Board of Governors

may in its discretion take whatever steps or actions it deems necessary or appropriate to fill

the title, including but not limited to:

(a) instituting a tournament or elimination contest(s) among Qualified Challengers;

(b) Ordering a championship contest between two Qualified Challengers; or

(c) recognizing as champion the winner of a previous elimination bout.

This list is non-exclusive.

3.18 Conditions upon New Champion. The WBC may, as it in its discretion deems proper and

necessary, impose conditions upon a new champion filling a vacant title, including but not

limited to: (a) ordering the first defense of the title as a mandatory defense against a WBCdesignated challenger (who may be any Qualified Challenger or a challenger selected

through a final elimination bout. Upon request, the WBC may in its discretion approve one

or more voluntary defenses prior to ordering a mandatory defense.

3.19 Inactivity of a Champion. If a WBC Champion is or may become inactive in a manner that

may prevent him from fulfilling his voluntary and mandatory defense obligations, the WBC

may declare the championship vacant and order one or more bouts to fill the vacant title.

Such inactivity may be either (i) a period of past and continuing inactivity or (ii) potential

future inactivity that may prevent a champion from defending his title in a timely manner as

required under these Rules.

The WBC may make such a determination based upon special circumstances, which may

include, but not be limited to:

(a) medical issues or injury;

(b) legal issues or contractual impediments;

(c) personal or family issues; or

(d) other controversy or circumstances whether or not beyond the control of the boxer

or the WBC.

It is the sole responsibility of a WBC Champion to notify the WBC in writing in a timely

manner of any special circumstances that may prevent him from complying with his title

defense obligations. In the event that a champion fails to notify the WBC in a timely

14

manner of such circumstances, the WBC may take appropriate actions including vacating

the title or imposing other penalties.

3.20 Champion in Recess. In certain cases under the preceding Rule, the WBC may in its

discretion designate a Champion as a “Champion in Recess”, such that upon the boxer’s

return, he will qualify to box for the championship as an elite contender for the new

champion, or as the returning champion. The WBC may order or permit a returning

Champion in Recess to box directly for the title in a mandatory or voluntary contest, or to

box one or more Qualified Challengers in order to retain his status as Champion in Recess.

A Champion in Recess may return as a mandatory challenger, but only upon the prior

written approval of such status by the WBC Board of Governors, which may approve or

deny such request in its sole discretion.

3.21 Diamond Championship. In its discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may impose,

the WBC may designate one current WBC Diamond Champion of the World in each weight

division. The WBC Diamond Championship may be awarded to recognize the most

extraordinary and elite boxer in a division, as an honorarium or as a title under such terms

and conditions as the WBC may designate in its sole discretion. Under extreme special

circumstances, the WBC may in its discretion designate the Diamond Champion as supreme

champion in the division, subject only to such obligations to defend the title as the WBC

may impose or permit in its sole discretion, upon an affirmative vote by the WBC Board of

Governors. The Diamond Champion may be permitted to voluntarily defend the title;

however, the Diamond Championship may be not won by a challenger unless a special

sanction is granted by the WBC in its sole discretion. The WBC may also order the

Diamond Champion to comply with all defense and other obligations applicable to WBC

World Champions hereunder.

3.22 Silver Championship. In its discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may impose, the

WBC may designate or order and award WBC Silver Championships of the World in each

weight division. The WBC Silver Championship is a world title superior to all WBC

championships except the World or Diamond Championships. The WBC may designate

the challengers for a Silver Championship from among any Qualified Challengers. A Silver

Champion must comply with all defense and other obligations applicable to WBC World

Champions hereunder as the WBC shall order in its discretion. A Silver Champion shall

not be a mandatory contender for the WBC World Championship absent winning a final

elimination bout for the World title, unless a written exception has been approved by a

majority vote of the WBC Board of Governors in its sole discretion.

3.23 Champion Emeritus. In its discretion, the WBC may, upon a 2/3

Governors, designate in each weight category one or more WBC Champions Emeritus. The

recognition of WBC Champion Emeritus may be bestowed upon a present or past WBC

World Champion of extraordinary prestige, reputation, stature, or everlasting legacy in the

sport. A WBC Champion Emeritus shall also be an Ambassador of Good Will on behalf of

the WBC.

A WBC Champion Emeritus shall be free to display and exhibit his special belt in any

social ceremony or sports event. The WBC Champion Emeritus recognition is the highest

of honors granted by the WBC to any boxer, and cannot be ceded to anyone inside or

outside the ring. Champion Emeritus recognition may be withdrawn only by the WBC its

sole discretion in the event that a holder of this recognition affiliates with another boxing

organization or otherwise brings dishonor upon the WBC or the sport of boxing.

 

A

15

Champion Emeritus has the right to request an immediate challenge to the WBC World

Champion without first boxing in an elimination contest, and if a mandatory challenger has

previously been designated, the WBC may order that the Champion Emeritus compete first

for the title as an immediate mandatory challenger, but in any event, only upon the prior

written approval of such status by the affirmative vote of the WBC Board of Governors,

which may approve or deny such request in its sole discretion.
deal


Clearly Vitali's age and injury prone body need to retire and let a young up and coming boxer shine in the spotlight. Not to mention he hounded Lewis for close to a year and still mopes about the fight, but the hypocrite is doing the exact same thing sitting on the title while growing old and not defending the most prized belt in boxing.:rasta
:nono
Interesting that no-ones heard from CHEF in a while. (yes he's probably busy with Vlad's training camp, but he usually finds time to grace the forum)