WBC convention updates: Canelo Alvarezs next fight, Naoya Inoue, David Benavidez and more
The WBC is currently hosting its 64th annual convention in Acapulco, Mexico, and Wednesday saw the most significant portion of the week-long conference take place. The sanctioning body reviewed the status of all divisions and provided updates on some of the biggest names in boxing.
On Tuesday, a representative for WBA (Regular) champion Jai Opetaia said Opetaia would vacate his secondary title if he could be ranked No. 2 in the WBC's cruiserweight rankings. The request was granted, and on Wednesday it was also confirmed that the Australian would become the mandatory challenger for the winner of the three-belt unification clash between David Benavidez and Michal Cieslak on Dec. 5.
Benavidez hopes to fight Opetaia in May and then take part in a mega-fight against Oleksandr Usyk in September.
It was also confirmed that undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, Uncrowned's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, is in talks to fight Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, our No. 4-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, in a major early 2027 superfight.
Junto Nakatani, who was defeated by Inoue in May, was ordered to fight Ramon Cardenas for the WBC interim belt. That bout is expected to take place in February in Japan.
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's trainer, Eddy Reynoso, said Monday during the convention that his charge will return in March in Saudi Arabia in the final fight of his four-bout agreement with Saudi fight financier Turki Alalshikh. Newly crowned WBC light heavyweight champion Willy Hutchinson is a potential opponent for Alvarez, Reynoso said.
The WBC did not rule immediately on the light heavyweight division, although it is expected to do so later Wednesday. Ben Whittaker's promoter, Matchroom, asked for him to be the first mandatory challenger for Hutchinson after Whittaker fights again in early 2027. Whittaker will probably fight Lyndon Arthur in February, sources close to the situation told Uncrowned.
Despite his near two-year absence from the ring, Artur Beterbiev was chosen by the WBC to preserve his ranking as the No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division.
At middleweight, Carlos Adames — who returns Saturday against Gerome Warburton in Zuffa Boxing 13's main event — was given a pair of mandatories. If Adames wins Saturday, he must defend his WBC title against Meirim Nursultanov. Then, the winner of that fight will be obligated to face interim champion Jesus Ramos Jr. in a title consolidation bout.
WBC super lightweight champion Dalton Smith was granted a voluntary defense next, which Matchroom hopes to stage at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium in the summer. Following that, he must fight interim champion Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz.
WBC lightweight champion William Zepeda will defend his belt against interim titleholder Jadier Herrera on March 13 in Mexico, Zepeda's promoter, Golden Boy, informed the convention.
Arnold Barboza Jr. and Oscar Duarte will fight for the WBC silver welterweight title when they battle in a Golden Boy main event in Anaheim on Jan. 23 in the United States. The No. 1 contender at super welterweight, Brandon Adams, will return on the undercard of that show in either an interim title bout or a final eliminator against an opponent to be determined. Charles Conwell will also feature on the card.
Finally, Britain's Andrew Cain was named the mandatory challenger for WBC bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue.