Marios Barrios has been elevated from WBC interim 147-lb champion to full champ in a predictable transfer by the sanctioning physique.
The WBC just lately downgraded champ Terence Crawford to ‘Champion in Recess’ tag after he selected to maneuver as much as 154 to battle for the belts in that weight class.
As soon as the WBC did that, it was solely a matter of time earlier than they elevated Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) to the total champion at welterweight.
Barrios captured the WBC interim title with a twelve spherical unanimous determination final 12 months in September, beating Yordenis Ugas. In Barrios’ first protection of his WBC interim strap, he defeated fringe contender Fabian Maidana by a 12 spherical determination final Could.
This transfer by the World Boxing Council clears the trail for WBC mild welterweight champion Devin Haney to vacate his 140-lb title and use it to be made obligatory for Barrio’s belt.
That’s a logical transfer for Haney as a result of if he stays at 140, he’ll be combating for peanuts, making $1,524,600 for his protection towards WBC obligatory Sandor Martin within the fall.
If Haney chooses to remain at 140 to defend towards Martin, Barrios may defend his WBC title towards 45-year-old Manny Pacquiao, who’s reportedly enthusiastic about combating for that belt.
That will be an enormous payday for the 29-year-old Barrios, giving Pacquiao an opportunity to seize one other world title. It’s unclear what Pacquiao would do with the WBC title if he gained the strap. Ryan Garcia could be Pacquiao’s best choice for an enormous payday.
Pacquiao wouldn’t should battle for the WBC welterweight world title as a result of he hasn’t fought in three years since 2021.
Followers on social media marvel when the WBA and WBO will get round to stripping Crawford of his welterweight titles with their organizations as a result of he’s simply sitting on them, not defending both, with no intention of returning to the division.
It hurts the game when sanctioning our bodies are gradual in stripping champions after they transfer up in weight, as Crawford has accomplished, or fighters holding interim belts. Once they transfer up weight to select up a bit of coin or in the event that they haven’t any plans on returning, they need to be stripped.