REGULATIONS OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS
The World Boxing Organization was organized by national delegations and representatives from countries throughout the boxing world. The WBO is the most democratically representative institution in professional boxing, and accordingly its Champions and Championships are accorded the greatest esteem in professional boxing.
The World Championship has been established for generations as the highest objective in professional boxing. A World Championship is not the property of any boxer. The Championship is a trust, subject to the conditions defined herein, for the use and benefit of all boxers and boxing fans, who through their contribution of time, effort, risks and resources sustain the existence of the profession. The World Boxing Organization encourages each World Champion and Challenger to be an example of the highest ideals and spirit of sportsmanship. A World Champion is an integral part of the sport of boxing, but he is not greater than the sport of boxing. A World Champion’s sportsmanship shows his respect for the profession he has chosen, including the Champion himself, his opponent, the World Boxing Organization, and, most importantly, boxing fans worldwide.
The World Boxing Organization’s Regulations of World Championship Contests are intended to reconcile the interests of all necessary elements of World Championship Boxing in a manner that is in the best interests of the sport. The most important interests are those of the Championship contestants themselves and their worldwide fans. World Championship boxing in the Twenty First Century has become a global sport. World Championships are regularly contested in numerous cities and countries around the world on every populated continent. Due to the travel distances and costs of attending World Championship boxing contests, the majority of boxing fans are not able to personally attend these events; they must follow the sport through television, and increasingly through premium and pay-per-view broadcasts. Moreover, the purses for the contestants in World Championship Boxing contests are often substantially dependant upon television revenue. These rules are intended to reconcile the interests of all WBO Participants for the overall good of sport of boxing, and are to be interpreted and applied to that end.
SECTION 1. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEE
(a) The World Championship Committee (hereinafter the Committee) shall be composed of five members: the WBO President, ex-officio, and four (4)members, including the Chairman of the Committee (hereinafter the Chairman),who shall be appointed by the President. The members of this Committee, upon appointment, shall hold office until their successors have been appointed. In the event that the Chairman is unavailable, the WBO President shall have all powers and authority of the Chairman.
(b)The World Championship Committee shall have the following powers and discretion:
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(1) To determine the format and venue for making any determination that is the subject of the WBO World Championship Rules; and
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(2) To designate not more than two Mandatory Challengers for any category in accordance with the criteria specified in these Rules; and
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(3) To determine whether a challenger seeking a Mandatory Challenger designation is acceptable to the Champion’s television network; and
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(4) To determine if there is good cause to extend the time during which a Champion must make a Mandatory Challenge; and
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(5) to approve the terms and conditions under which a Champion may extend the time for a Mandatory challenge so as to compete in a Unification Bout or a Unification Tournament; and
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(6) to order an eliminatory bout for good cause, including, but not limited to circumstances such as when a higher classified boxer has been denied the designation of Mandatory Challenger because he was not acceptable to a Champion’s television network; and
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(7) To recommend to the President and the Executive Committee that a Title should be vacated if a Champion fails to comply with the WBO World Championship Rules; and
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(8) To order a Purse Bid; and
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(9) to recommend to the President to reduce the minimum purse bid by up to 50% and to rebid a purse bid or to grant an extension to the Champion of up to 120 days for a voluntary fight If there are no qualified bids for a purse bid
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(10) To determine if a Promoter has defaolted on a Purse Bid; and
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(11) To select contestants for a vacant Championship; and
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(12) To approve the challenger for any Championship, including a replacement challenger where a challenger is unable to complete a previously schedoled World Championship fight; and
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(13) To determine whether a Champion is entitled to a disability extension to make a Mandatory Challenge, and the terms and conditions for such a disability extension; and,
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(14) To determine whether the Promoter which is the successful bidder for a Purse Bid may assign its rights to conduct the Championship match, and the terms and conditions for any approved assignment of the Promoter’s rights to a Purse Bid; and
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(15) To recommend to the Executive Committee whether a boxer should be designated as a Super Champion; and
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(16) To sanction all Championship Contests and Eliminatory Bouts; and
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(17) To recommend to the Executive Committee whether a direct return fight should be authorized; and
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(18) To determine if an Interim Championship is warranted and to sanction an Interim Championship Bout; and
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(19) To determine the contestants for an Interim or Vacant Championship; and
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(20) To make or recommend exceptions or variations from the Rules as the World Championship Committee determines are necessary, and
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(21) To vacate a championship title regardless of cause or fault if the Champion has not defended within a nine (9) month period.
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(22) To designate a Mandatory Challenger; and
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(23) To determine whether a Challenger is entitled to a disability extension to complete his qualifying to comply with the ABC Guidelines for Ratings of Professional Boxers; and
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(24) To recommend to the President and the Executive Committee amendments to these Rules.
(c)The above powers shall be interpreted to include any or all powers necessary, helpful or convenient to accomplish the purposes, policies and intent of these rules
SECTION 2. MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee shall meet in the places and at the time and manner as are scheduled by the WBO President or the Chairman. Three members shall constitute a quorum for matters that come before the Committee. The majority vote of the members of the Committee that constitute the quorum of the meeting shall constitute the action of the Committee. The Committee is authorized to meet remotely, by telephone conference, and/or by written submittals, and the Chairman may, in his discretion request the vote of the members of the Committee by telephone, fax, or e-mail. A member need not participate in all discussions of the Committee on a matter to participate in its determination. In the cases in which the Committee acts by written submittals, the Chairman shall recommend the adoption or rejection of any measure. If the Committee does not receive the vote of any member of the Committee within two (2) days of the Chairman’s recommendation, the vote of the member of the Committee not cast shall be considered as a vote approving the recommendation of the Chairman. The Chairman shall submit a report indicating the results of voting on the particular matter to each of the members of the Committee and to the WBO. In the event there is a tie vote of the Committee, the vote of the WBO President shall determine the action of the Committee.
SECTION 3. WEIGHT CATEGORIES
The World Championships shall be recognized in the following weight categories of divisions:
| WEIGHT DIVISION |
MAXIMUM WEIGHT |
| Mini Flyweight |
Up to 105 lbs or 47.63 kgs. |
| Jr. Flyweight |
Up to 108 lbs or 48.99 kgs. |
| Flyweight |
Up to 112 lbs or 50.80 kgs. |
| Jr. Bantamweight |
Up to 115 lbs or 52.16 kgs. |
| Bantamweight |
Up to 118 lbs or 53.52 kgs. |
| Jr. Featherweight |
Up to 122 lbs or 55.34 kgs. |
| Featherweight |
Up to 126 lbs or 57.15 kgs. |
| Jr. Lightweight |
Up to 130 lbs or 58.97 kgs. |
| Lightweight |
Up to 135 lbs or 61.24 kgs. |
| Jr. Welterweight |
Up to 140 lbs or 63.50 kgs. |
| Welterweight |
Up to 147 lbs or 66.68 kgs. |
| Jr. Middleweight |
Up to 154 lbs or 69.85 kgs. |
| Middleweight |
Up to 160 lbs or 72.58 kgs. |
| Super Middleweight |
Up to 168 lbs or 76.36 kgs. |
| Light Heavyweight |
Up to 175 lbs or 79.38 kgs. |
| Cruiserweight |
Up to 200 lbs or 90.91 kgs. |
| Heavyweight |
Over 201 lbs or 91.17 kgs. |
SECTION 4. WEIGHT
(a)In General. Weight determines the championship contests. If the Champion and/or the challenger fails to make the prescribed weight at the time of the official weigh-in, either or both of them shall have two hours from that time to make the prescribed weight. If either or both contenders fail to make the prescribed weight within the additional two hour period of time, these regolations remain in foll force and effect and the contest shall be held as an overweight title fight or a non-title fight as the case may be. The scales that are to be used in the official weigh-in shoold be available to both the Champion and the challenger at least two hours before the time of the official weight-in.
(b) Weigh-ins for Postponements. If a Championship is postponed after a weight-in for not more than 48 hours, a new weigh-in will not be necessary.
(c)Overweight Contestants.
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(1) If a World Champion fails to make the prescribed weight for his category and the challenger makes weight, the Champion shall lose the title at the scales, and the Championship shall then and there be declared vacant. The Championship may not, however, be won at the scales. The fight shall be carried out as planned, and if the challenger, having made the weight, wins the contest, the challenger shall be the successor of the Championship; but if the prior Champion whose Championship was vacated at the scales wins the contest, the championship shall remain vacant.
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(2) If the Champion makes the weight and the challenger fails to do so, the Champion, whether or not he loses the fight, shall retain the title.
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(3) If both the Champion and the challenger fail to make weight, the Championship shall not be vacated at the scale and the fight will go forward as a non-title fight and the Champion, whether or not he loses the fight, shall retain the title.
SECTION 5. DEFENSE OF THE TITLE
(a) Each WBO World Champion except in the Heavyweight Division shall defend his title at intervals not greater than nine (9) months counting from the date of the acquisition thereof or from the last compolsory defense, as the case may be, in a twelve (12) round fight, against the Mandatory Challenger, as determined by the Championship Committee according to these Regolations, unless an exception is made pursuant to these Regolations. For reasons unique to the Heavyweight Division, the WBO World Champion in the Heavyweight Division shall defend his title at intervals not greater than twelve (12) months counting from the date of the acquisition thereof or from the last compolsory defense as the case may be in a twelve (12) round fight, against the Mandatory Challenger, as determined by the Championship Committee according to these Regolations, unless an exception is made pursuant to these Regolations. The Championship Committee shall designate no more than two mandatory defenses in a category during the above-specified time. When the Committee orders a Champion to make more than one mandatory fight, it shall notify the Champion of that order at least 60 days prior to the first mandatory fight; and the second mandatory fight shall not take place before the next 90 days.
(b) In the interim period, the World Champion may defend the title against any contender classified within the fifteen (15) best by the World Boxing Organization, always with the approval of the World Championships Committee.
(c) The WBO World Championship Committee may, in its discretion, vacate a Champion’s title regardless of cause or faolt if the Champion fails to defend his title within a nine (9) month period (12 months in the case of the Heavyweight Division). This decision will be final unless appealed to the Complaint and Grievance Committee within ten (10) days of Notification to the Champion as provided for in these Roles. A Champion so stripped of his Title shall be classified using the WBO rating criteria, and he shall be classified in his division or in such other weight division as the Classifications Committee for good cause determines, provided that he has complied with the WBO and ABC rating criteria.
(d)In any circumstance in which a Mandatory Defense does not occur within the designated time period, the World Championship Committee may order an Interim Championship between contenders determined by the World Championship Committee.
SECTION 6. DESIGNATION OF THE MANDATORY CHALLENGER
(a) The Mandatory Challenger may be selected and determined by the World Championship Committee according to the current list of the best-classified boxers, promolgated by the WBO Classification Committee. For the purpose of designating the Mandatory Challenger, the current list of the Classifications is that which corresponds to the month for which the determination is to be made that the World Champion is obliged to defend his Title against the Mandatory Challenger, or any other date in which the World Championship Committee may determine, for just cause.
(b)When a Champion must make a mandatory defense, the Mandatory Challenger shall be the highest classified available boxer who, in the judgment of the World Championship Committee, best satisfies the following criteria:
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(1) Has a record acceptable to the World Championship Committee, andwho, because of accomplishment and achievement, is recognized by the World Championship Committee as a class boxer; and
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(2) Complies with the WBO and Association of Boxing Commissions Criteria for the Ratings of Professional Boxers; and
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(3) In the event that the Champion has a contract with a major television network (HBO, SHOWTIME, ZDF, Sky or other similar broadcast company), is an acceptable challenger to the Champion’s television network.
(c) A classified boxer may request recognition as Mandatory Challenger in writing to the WBO on forms which contain substantially the provisions of the comply with the Application for Designation as Mandatory Contender contained on the WBO web site. Alternatively, the Committee may designate a Mandatory Challenger based on the above criteria. In either event, the Mandatory Challenger must agree to be subject to and to abide by the Regolations and to be bound to participate in and comply with the resolts of a purse bid if negotiation with the World Champion does not resolt in a contract for the Championship fight. The World Championship Committee may deny a request for recognition based on any of the above referred criteria or because the Champion has an approved unification bout or an approved unification tournament schedoled, or for other good cause.
(d) If a fighter is classified higher than the Mandatory Challenger, and is not designated the Mandatory Challenger because of criteria three (3), or for other good cause, the Championship Committee has the authority to order an eliminatory bout between the higher classified boxer or boxers provided that at least one of the elimination bout contestants is considered an acceptable challenger to the Champion’s broadcast company. The winner of the elimination bout shall be then designated the Mandatory Challenger the next time a mandatory fight in that category is ordered if the winner of the elimination bout retains his rating subsequent to the elimination bout.
(e) The designation of a Mandatory Challenger creates an obligation on behalf of the Champion to defend against the designated Mandatory Challenger as a condition to the Champion’s retention of the title. This obligation may be subject to modification or extension by the Championship Committee for good cause, such as (but not limited to) participation by the Champion in a unification bout or a unification tournament on such terms and conditions as the Championship Committee approves. The designation of Mandatory Challenger does not create rights in the Challenger, and may be subject to such conditions, modification, or extension as the Championship Committee determines.
(f)That a Champion has signed a contract for the defense of his championship, even against a Mandatory Challenger approved and designated by the Committee, shall not of itself constitute compliance with these Regolations, unless the Championship defense actually takes place within the stipolated time period.