Less than 24 hours before the remaining four fighters in the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament compete in the semifinals, the WBC announced it has withdrawn sanctioning from the tournament.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman announced on Twitter its cruiserweight world title won't be on the line when Krzysztof Glowacki and Mairis Briedis meet in the ring later today in Riga, Latvia. The issue stems from an argument between the WBC and WBO over who gets to elect the four judges for the fight, which would have been for the unified WBC and WBO championships. Both titles were previously held by Aleksandr Usyk, but he vacated both titles, as well as all of his cruiserweight titles, after he decided to move up in weight.
1/2 WBC withdraws it’s sanctioning of the Briedis vs Glowacki fight .
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) June 15, 2019
The administrators of the WORLD BOXING SÚPER SERIES tournament have failed to maintain the integrity of the bout, and have disregarded the WBC rules and regulations. @WBCBoxing
2/2
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) June 15, 2019
The WBC strongly rejects the unfortunate discrimination and abuse of power that has been directed against the integrity of our institution.
The WBC will evaluate its continuing participation in the remaining WBSS bouts in Season II, and will announce its decision soon.
According to a report from Boxing Scene, the WBO got to assign three of the four judges (a fourth judge is in all WBSS fights in case of a tie) as well as the referee, but the WBC only got to pick just one judge. The WBC said it would put the belt back on the line if it got to pick a second judge for the fight, meaning the two organizations would each have two judges scoring the fight.
This is the post from yesterday. The WBC has fully supported this great fight between 2 great champions @BriedisMairis vs @KrzysiekGlowka . @WBCBoxing has tried up to now to find a solution. If the ring officials are confirmed as per agreed 2 from wbc and 2 from wbo then it’s on pic.twitter.com/ewDDK0B7yE
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) June 15, 2019
But with one world title being removed from the tournament, another comes in to replace it. WBSS officials announced that the IBF title is now vacant and now on the line in the other semifinal bout between Andrew Tabiti and Yuniel Dorticos. The IBF title being vacant was expected news as Usyk also held the title when he won last year's tournament.
CONFIRMED: tonight’s semi final from Las Rigas #DorticosTabiti will be for the vacant @IBFUSBAboxing World Championship #WBSS pic.twitter.com/hlZafoLFxD
— Kalle & Nisse Sauerland (@SauerlandBros) June 15, 2019
This would be Tabiti's first shot at a world title while Dorticos will look to become a two-time world champion. Dorticos was the WBA champion in last year's semifinals when he lost to Murat Gassiev in a title unification.
The card will be streamed on DAZN in the United States with the winner of both fights competing for the unified belt facing each other later this year at a venue to be determined later.
