WBC STATUS BY DIVISION MARCH 2026
The World Boxing Council (WBC) has published the updated status of champions, interim titles, mandatory challengers, and scheduled bouts in all weight divisions as of March 2026. The update reflects the latest decisions of the WBC Board of Governors regarding voluntary defenses, mandatory fights, eliminators, and vacant titles.
In the heavyweight division, WBC champion Oleksandr Usyk has been granted a voluntary defense. His next fight is scheduled for May 23 in Giza, Egypt, against Rico Verhoeven. According to the WBC ruling, the winner must next face interim champion Agit Kabayel, who holds the position of mandatory challenger. In the same division, Lawrence Okolie will defend his WBC Silver title against Tony Yoka on April 25 in Paris.
In the cruiserweight division, champion Noel Mikaelian has been allowed a voluntary defense, after which he must complete two mandatory defenses against interim champion Michal Cieslak and Ryan Rozicki. In the bridgerweight division, a mandatory bout has been scheduled between champion Kevin Lerena and Ryad Merhy.
In the light heavyweight division, WBC champion David Benavidez has petitioned to fight at cruiserweight under WBC rules while retaining his championship status at 175 pounds.
In the super middleweight division, champion Christian Mbilli is required to defend his title before September, while interim champion Lester Martinez, who captured the belt in March, must fulfill two mandatory defenses. Several eliminators have also been ordered, including Jacob Bank vs Paulinus Ndjolonimo.
In the middleweight division, Carlos Adames successfully retained his title in a voluntary defense against Austin Williams, while interim champion Jesus Ramos Jr. remains in line for a future championship bout. In the super welterweight division, champion Sebastian Fundora is scheduled to face Keith Thurman, while interim champion Vergil Ortiz has requested a voluntary defense.
In the lightweight division, the title remains vacant, and a championship bout between William Zepeda and Lamont Roach is planned for June, with the winner required to face interim champion Jadier Herrera. In the super featherweight division, Michael Magnesi and Ryan Garner will fight for the interim title, while in the featherweight division a final eliminator between Nathaniel Collins and Cristobal Lorente has been ordered.
In the lower weight classes, several important bouts have also been confirmed. In the super bantamweight division, Naoya Inoue is scheduled to face Junto Nakatani for the undisputed championship on May 2 in Tokyo. In the bantamweight division, champion Takuma Inoue will make a voluntary defense against Kazuto Ioka, after which he must complete two mandatory defenses. Additional eliminators and mandatory bouts have been ordered in the flyweight and light flyweight divisions to determine the next challengers.
The updated WBC division status outlines the upcoming championship fights and mandatory defenses expected throughout 2026, defining the competitive structure in all weight categories of the World Boxing Council.
