The upcoming matchup between IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia will have a WBC presence.
The governing body announced that the fight will not only be for the IBF 147-pound world title but also for the WBC Diamond belt, a special title usually given out for special fights. The two are set to fight in the main event of a pay-per-view card from AT&T Stadium on March 16. Garcia, the current WBC lightweight champion, will move up in weight in an attempt to win a world title in a fifth weight class.
Although the Diamond title is not an actual world title, holding the title could give the WBC the authority to order a match between the Diamond champion and the world champion who is Shawn Porter. Such was the case in the WBA featherweight title match between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares in 2018.
Santa Cruz won the fight, meaning he was awarded the WBC Diamond title and so, the governing body ordered Santa Cruz to fight current champion Gary Russell Jr. The two world champions have yet to successfully negotiate a fight as Santa Cruz is defending his WBA title against Miguel Flores on February 16 in the main event of a PBC on Fox card from Los Angeles.
In other WBC welterweight news, the April 20 PBC card headlined by Danny Garcia vs. Adrian Granados will now be for the WBC Silver title. Garcia is currently the No. 1 ranked welterweight by the WBC after his title loss to Porter this past September while Granados is ranked No. 9 at 147 pounds.
