WBA super-featherweight champion Anthony Cacace has been elevated to ‘super’ champion for his title defence against Nick Ball, with the winner mandated to face Russia’s Elnur Samedov in their next bout.
The 37-year-old Belfast man will face Liverpool’s Ball at The O2 in his home city on 19 December, having been given special exemption by the sanctioning body, with Samedov upgraded to ‘regular’ champion.
In June, the WBA ordered Cacace to face then ‘interim’ champion Samedov in a mandatory defence, but while an offer to stage the bout in Belfast was made to the Russian’s team, the “British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) rejected the request for Samedov to compete in the United Kingdom”, according to the WBA., external
“The decision was subsequently upheld by the British authority after reviewing documentation related to the fighter’s citizenship and residency. As a result, negotiations between the two promoters were suspended,” said a statement.
With no agreement possible between both teams in the short term, the WBA acceded to a request by Queensberry Promotions under Rule C.40 for Cacace to make a voluntary defence until the mandatory situation is resolved.
They have ruled that the winner of the 19 December bout will then have 12 days to indicate whether they are willing to defend against Samedov, with that bout to take place on neutral territory.
No further exemption will be granted, including the possibility of a unification for the winner of Cacace v Ball, “while the division does not have a single champion”.
Cacace won the title with a points victory over James ‘Jazza’ Dickens in Dublin on 14 March to become a two-time champion having previously held the IBF’s title, and will face Ball who is bidding to become a two-weight champion.
Samedov, who can also compete before a challenge for the full title, won his ‘interim’ belt with an 11th-round stoppage of John Lenon Gutierrez in February.