The WBA sunk to an all-time low on Friday, committing the unpardonable corruption of approving a boxer who hasn't won a bout in more than five years (Bermane Stiverne) to fight someone who hasn't fought for more than two years (Trevor Bryan) for what the WBA calls its heavyweight world championship. The WBA's partner in this crime against boxing is its long-time co-conspirator, promoter Don King, who not so coincidentally has the exclusive promotional rights to both Stiverne and Bryan. In order to accomplish this travesty, the WBA, at King's request, stripped Mahmoud Charr of his championship and waived King's obligation to pay Charr the $1.5 million Charr was contracted to be paid to fight Bryan. Although Charr will undoubtedly sue both King and the WBA for their actions, the WBA will shamefully crown a fake champion in a fight that takes place tonight in an empty conference room in South Florida with a few thousand people watching an internet pay-per-view stream. Another layer of duplicity for the WBA is that Bryan vs. Stiverne is misleadingly for the WBA regular (secondary) title, with Anthony Johsua holding the WBA super championship.
UPDATE: Trevor Bryan stopped Bermane Stiverne in round eleven to win the WBA regular heavyweight championship.
The WBA ruling came at 1:40 PM eastern time, capping a dizzying series of events where the WBA stripped Charr, rescinded the order seventeen minutes later, and then reissued it a few hours later, all on the same day that Stiverne and Bryan would compete in thier hastily arranged bout. At the same time, the WBA unexpectedly issued new rankings that, despite Stiverne going 0-2 with 2 brutal knockout losses since 2015, put Stiverne eleventh. In another brazenly corrupt transaction, the WBA moved undistinguished heavyweight Bogdan Dinu up to number three, virtually assuring him a title shot in the near future as Bryan, the current #1, and Oleksandr Usyk, the current #2, will soon be out of the rankings.
The WBA's first ruling was made in the form of a four-page document on WBA letterhead signed by Carlos Chavez, Chairman Championship Committee. It was sent out by long-time WBA employee Nory Gil at 10:36 AM Eastern time. Boxingtalk has a copy of the order as well as the e-mail chain that distributed it. The order stated that the WBA had demoted Mahmoud Charr from regular champion to champion in recess. However, seventeen minutes later, Gil sent a second e-mail retracting the ruling that stated as follows: "Please disregard this communication, it is not valid and it was send by an involuntary mistake. Please accept my apologies."
"I have no idea what is going on, not the slightest idea," said Patrick English, Charr's attorney, said at the time. For the first time in nearly 50 years of promoting, the normally loquacious King has not done any pre-fight publicity at all.
A few background points: At stake here is the WBA's secondary title, a fact often intentionally obscured by the WBA to deceive viewers into believing they are watching or buying a legitimate championship fight. In fact, the WBA recognizes England's Anthony Joshua as its top-tier champion under its intentionally confusing three-tier championship system... Stiverne and Bryan are both under contract to Don King while Charr is not... Stiverne is 42 years old and has not won a professional boxing match since 2015. Bryan, the WBA's thrid-tier or interim champion, has not fought since 2018. Charr has not fought since 2017 and has had previous PED issues... Under the terms of a WBA purse bid, King was obligated to pay Charr $1.5 million to fight Bryan. King's position is that Charr, a reisdent of Germany, never obtained a proper visa to fight in the United States, while Charr says King refused to supply the necessary documents for him to obtain the visa. Boxingtalk fully expects Charr to sue King for a $1.5 million breach of contract in thenear future... The WBA is also being sued over this fiasco by heavyweight Fres Oquendo in Ilinois federal court. At one point, Oquendo had the right to challenge Charr for the title but that was when Charr had the PED issues, and Charr-Oquendo got lost in the shuffle soon afterwards. Oquendo has not fought since 2014.
HERE IS THE WBA'S RULING:
1. Based upon the [WBA] Rules, which Charr is presumed to know, a champion must regularly defend his title, remain active, and follow the WBA's instructions regarding title defenses. Charr has not defended his title in over three (3) years.
2. While we understand Mahmoud Charr is willing to comply his obligations and did every effort possible to box under the decision of the previous resolution, avoid inactivity, pursue his career, a cause beyond the reasonable control affected his participation on January 29th, 2021.
3. Thus, this committee finds sufficient facts and conditions to declare Mahmoud Charr Champion in Recess, in order to extend and solve, all legal and business pending matters or request remedies to solve his unavailability.
4. Don King Productions request will be granted to box for WBA Heavyweight championship between interim title holder Trevor Bryan and ex-champion Bermane Stiverne in
Hollywood, Florida next January 29, 2021.
5. The championships committee finds former champion Bermane Stiverne eligible to fight Trevor Bryant and has requested the Ratings committee his inclusion in the ratings.
6. In the event a winner is declared between Bryan and Stiverne, he MUST box Mahmoud Charr no later than One hundred twenty (120) days from January 29th, 2021, in other
words, the title bout must happen by May 30, 2021. In case the bout ends in a draw Trevor Bryant will be obligated to box in his next fight Mahmoud Charr under the same time conditions. No
exceptions or special permits will be applicable until Charr exercises his rights in order to define the championship in the division.
7. In the following day of the result of the bout a negotiation and purse bid conditions will be consider by special conditions and flexible to current rules and regulations.
8. The purse bid procedure held on 2020 will be declared void finding neither party liable in its failure.
9. The affected boxers or any other interested party may request later amendments to this resolution if the circumstances present at the time warrant consideration. This resolution is subject to the provisions of the revised rules regarding request for reconsideration and appeals.
10. This resolution supersedes any previous resolution solely dealing with this subject.
