The WBA, which stated earlier this year it would not allow Russian boxers to fight for a WBA title due to the invasion of the Ukraine, has reversed that decision and ordered its cruiserweight champion Arsen Goulamirian of France to make a mandatory defense against Russia's Aleksei Egorov. Goulamirian (26-0) remains WBA champion despite not fighting since 2019. Egorov (16-2 including the World Series of Boxing) was named the mandatory contender after Ryad Merhy was stripped of the WBA regular title for refusing to fight Goulamirian. The period for voluntary negotiations ends on September 7th, after which time the WBA could order a purse bid, which could result in Goulamirian beng forced to defend in Russia.