World Boxing News updates on the latest stories involving the World Boxing Council, including an order for Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith.
Beterbiev vs Smith
The World Boxing Council has ordered WBC light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, to make his mandatory defense against Callum Smith. Negotiations should start as soon as possible.
The teams of both fighters must reach an agreement before April 11. Otherwise, a purse bid must be held.
In his most recent bout, Beterbiev knocked out contender Anthony Yarde in 8 rounds in an instant Fight of the Year candidate. At the same time, Smith comes from knocking Mathieu Bauderlique out in the fourth round of a WBC elimination bout.
Panya Pradabsri
World Boxing Council straw-weight champion Panya Pradabsri will fight Japanese Yudai Shigeoka, who ambitiously and audaciously aims to win his first world title in only his seventh professional fight.
This mega card, entitled 3150 Fight Vol. 5, is on April 16 at the Yoyogi Second National Gymnasium in Tokyo.
The match was formally announced at a press conference hosted by Kameda Promotions and headlined by former champion Koki Kameda.
Pradabsri (39-1, 22KOs) is set to make his fourth defense of the WBC straw-weight title he first claimed in a November 2020 points win over former champion Wanheng Menayothin.
The 32-year-old from Bangkok outpointed his compatriot in a rematch, followed by a twelve-round unanimous decision win over Norihito Tanaka of Japan on August 31 in Thailand.
Pradabsri will travel to Japan for a high-stakes defense this time, marking his first fight outside Thailand since October 2017. He suffered his only decision loss to former WBC champion Chaozhong Xiong in Datong, China.
Yudai Shigeoka (6-0, 4KOs) will have a chance to fight at home. The 25-year-old southpaw from Tokyo has yet to fight outside his home country in his budding career. His last win came by a third-round knockout of Tatsuro Nakashima on November 17 at the famed Korakuen Hall.
World Boxing Council Ratings
In addition, the World Boxing Council wishes to recognize and congratulate the boxers who entered the March 2023 rantings based on their effort and positive results.
The WBC rantings have been published monthly since 1968, comprising the top 40 boxers from all 18 divisions.
The rating committee comprises a director, an assistant director, and an executive secretary. Twenty-two active expert members from several places worldwide participate.
This committee is dedicated to compiling the results of fights and the essential information to analyze the fighters’ movements and define their position in the WBC’s lists.
Firstly, we welcome them and wish them the best of success in their future fights. Furthermore, they included Conor Benn and Tommy Fury.
