If Ryan Garcia does end up fighting Manny Pacquiao, there won’t be a belt on the line.
The cretins at the WBA released a flurry of championship rulings today, two of them regarding Mahmoud Charr’s and Beibut Shumenov’s absence from Don King’s clusterf**k of a show tonight. “World” heavyweight champ Charr is now champion in recess due to inactivity; as a result, the winner of Trevor Bryan vs Bermane Stiverne will get the title and must fight Charr by May 31st. Per the WBA, Stiverne, who hasn’t won a fight in over five years, is “an opponent who meets the requirements to fight for the championship.” “World” cruiserweight champ Shumenov has been stripped, and new champion Ryad Merhy must face Yuniel Dorticos in his first defense.
More importantly, “super” welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is now champion in recess, and former world” champion Yordenis Ugas now holds the full title.
The WBA, according to its rule C.14, dictates that champions and their teams are required to know the WBA rules and regulations. Rule C.22-24 states that when a champion is unable to defend the belt for medical, legal or other reasons beyond his control, he may be named champion in recess. The medical reasons must be documented before the WBA Medical Committee, while the legal reasons must be evidenced before the legal director and the Championships Committee.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) hasn’t fought since taking a split decision over Keith Thurman in July of 2019, which unified Pacquiao’s “world” title with Thurman’s “super” title. He’d been in talks to face Terence Crawford and/or Conor McGregor, but the former went after Kell Brook instead and the latter got mulched by Dustin Poirier last weekend.
Ugas (26-4, 12 KO) claimed the now-vacant “world” title last September by outclassing Abel Ramos, who nonetheless managed to sway the incompetent Dr. Lou Moret. He is understandably jubilant.
Thank God, my agent, my team, family and fans today is a great day for me. Thanks to the WBA for raising me to Super Champion and doing what is best for Sport. Manny Pacquiao is a legend and he will always be champion, his intention was Mggregor and now Ryan, but you cannot… pic.twitter.com/alc40oSJuB
— Yordenis Ugas (@YordenisUgas) January 29, 2021
The Cuban has been a high-risk, low-reward opponent since getting screwed against Shawn Porter, but now he has the leverage to secure a big-money fight. Don’t be surprised to see him share a ring with Errol Spence before terribly long.
As an aside, I would like to point out that Leo Santa Cruz is coming up on 24 months without a featherweight title defense and the WBA still refuses to elevate Xu Can. Pissants.