BoxRec

Andre Ward, who announced his retirement in September, has relinquished the last of his three light heavyweight world titles. WBO president Paco Valcarcel told ESPN on Wednesday that Ward has vacated and that Main Events, promoter of former unified titlist Sergey Kovalev, is petitioning the organization to sanction Kovalev’s fight with Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-1, 16 KOs) on Nov. 25 (HBO) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York to be for the vacant belt. Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) lost the titles to Ward last November by controversial decision and then lost by eighth-round knockout in the June rematch, though Kovalev’s team complained bitterly about the final punches being low blows that were not called. Valcarcel said the WBO’s championship committee has not yet made a decision on whether it will sanction Kovalev-Shabranskyy for the vacant world title.


Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer

The WBO has not yet made an official determination as to whether or not they’ll approve Main Events’ request and sanction Kovalev-Shabranskyy as a world title fight.

Why not ?

ValMar wrote:Why not ?

I'm not against it.

ValMar wrote:Why not ?

So Kathy Duva has filed a petition to the WBO to sanction a bout between her man, Sergey Kovalev (who has an exclusive contract with HBO) to another HBO-affiliated boxer, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, that isn’t actually ranked in the WBO’s top-15 fighters?

Where’s the f’ckíng sense in that?

Why can’t Sergey Kovalev be forced to face a top-five WBO ranked opponent for the vacant title instead, such as the ilk of a: Olexander Gvozdyk, Sullivan Barrera, Marcus Browne, Artur Beterbiev etc.?

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy has never beaten a world-rated opponent, was decked three times and then stopped by Sullivan Barrera only nine months ago... and has only managed to scored two victories over relative journeymen since.

I’m not ranked in the WBO’s top-15 and I have never defeated a world-ranked opponent… so why shouldn’t I be deemed as an equally qualified world title challenger as Vyacheslav Shabranskyy?

Perhaps Kathy Duva can call an Uber cab driver to step into the ring to face Kovalev for the vacant title instead?

To those that are either asking “why not?” or “I'm not against it”… please think about what you’re really proposing?

Enlightened-One wrote:

ValMar wrote:Why not ?

So Kathy Duva has filed a petition to the WBO to sanction a bout between her man, Sergey Kovalev (who has an exclusive contract with HBO) to another HBO-affiliated boxer, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, that isn’t actually ranked in the WBO’s top-15 fighters?

Where’s the f’ckíng sense in that?

I didn't bother checking the WBO rankings, but now that you've mentioned it. I hope WBO don't magically insert Shabs into the top 5 for October if they haven't done already.

Kovalev is ranked #2 in WBO rankings
Shabranskyy is not in the rankings at all.

How does this make sense?

klitoris wrote:Kovalev is ranked #2 in WBO rankings
Shabranskyy is not in the rankings at all.

How does this make sense?

Is Shabs in the IBF or WBA rankings? Would make more sense.. unless Duva has WBO in her handbag.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

klitoris wrote:Kovalev is ranked #2 in WBO rankings
Shabranskyy is not in the rankings at all.

How does this make sense?

Is Shabs in the IBF or WBA rankings? Would make more sense.. unless Duva has WBO in her handbag.

Why don't you check? Shabs is only ranked 10th by the WBC. The WBO, the WBA and the IBF correctly believe that he's not deserving of a world ranking.

Enlightened-One wrote:

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

klitoris wrote:Kovalev is ranked #2 in WBO rankings
Shabranskyy is not in the rankings at all.

How does this make sense?

Is Shabs in the IBF or WBA rankings? Would make more sense.. unless Duva has WBO in her handbag.

Why don't you check? Shabs is only ranked 10th by the WBC. The WBO, the WBA and the IBF correctly believe that he's not deserving of a world ranking.

I was driving at the time. Didn't have time to go on their websites. What you reckon are the chances of him magically appearing in the WBO rankings and them sanctioning the fight?

It is not worse than Beterbiev's fight for the vacant IBF title, so why not ?

Neither it is worse that Stevenson's defenses.

boxing_rocks wrote:It is not worse than Beterbiev's fight for the vacant IBF title, so why not ?

Neither it is worse that Stevenson's defenses.

I think you are right. Naturally, I would like to see unification at LHW before 2019 (I know it is not realistic, but I hope).....
WBSS tournament at LHW, next year ? Why not ?

Don't the WBO have a rule preventing fighters coming off two losses fighting for their version of the world title?

That's what F. Warren reckons anyway

DannyMCR wrote:Don't the WBO have a rule preventing fighters coming off two losses fighting for their version of the world title?

That's what F. Warren reckons anyway

Except that people with brain know that Kovalev won the first Ward fight.

Nope

So you can just ask for a title fight now?

so its son of andre vs shabransky next. should be fun while lasts. not sure kov is same fighter now.

jamamb wrote:so its son of andre vs shabransky next. should be fun while lasts. not sure kov is same fighter now.

Even if he's not he'd have to have fallen off a cliff not to be able to get it done against Shabranskyy.

shabransky big and aggressive. some power. dropped barrera. wouldnt surprised me if he dropped or rocked kov. will prob get kod eventually.

Why not? The WBO sanctions Cotto's fights against subpar opponents.

RScarf1 wrote:Why not? The WBO sanctions Cotto's fights against subpar opponents.

So you're not interested in quality control nor the application of the WBO's very own rules?

Cotto's opponent was highly-ranked, whereas Shabs doesn't even rate in the WBO's top-15.

The RING, ESPN, IBF, WBA amd also the WBO don't rate Shabs at all. FFS!

Not counting out Kovalev but he wants to show up in NYC.

shabransky is no worse a fighter than kamegai. kamegai has zero skills and blocks with his face. not really a puncher either. just a guy who can take a beating in a loss.

not a one is better fighter than the other issue, more like somehow one got ranked and the other didnt. wud look pretty funny if shabraxky was unranked then suddenly turns up in title fight. shab-kov gonna be fun while it lasts though, watch.

gilgamesh wrote:So you can just ask for a title fight now?

Happens all the time with vacant titles. Not that the situation happens all the time. You should see the envelopes flying around at their conventions.

boxing_rocks wrote:

DannyMCR wrote:Don't the WBO have a rule preventing fighters coming off two losses fighting for their version of the world title?

That's what F. Warren reckons anyway

Except that people with brain know that Kovalev won the first Ward fight.

I'm not disputing that, I also believe that Kovalev won but he still has two losses on his record

boxing_rocks wrote:

DannyMCR wrote:Don't the WBO have a rule preventing fighters coming off two losses fighting for their version of the world title?

That's what F. Warren reckons anyway

Except that people with brain know that Kovalev won the first Ward fight.

except that he didnt, lacked brains to win the first and lacked desire to win the second