The WBC has surpassed the WBA in the stupidity standings, outdoing the competition in the race to confuse fans and destroy boxing's rich history of championships. The WBC is now so far up WBC franchise champion Canelo Alvarez's ass, it can taste what he had for lunch. Yes, franchise champion. Not content with the designations of champion, interim champion, emeritus champion and silver champion, the WBC has made Canelo Alvarez its "franchise middleweight champion" and converted Jermall Charlo from interim to what we will now call regular champion. Though nominally a promotion for Charlo, it is in fact a blow to him because he cannot demand a mandatory challenge against a franchise champion. Charlo got a meaningless paper title, a mere resume builder. By comparison, the WBA system of super champion and regular champion, itself a cesspool of corruption and absurdity, seem like a fair and logical system. If the WBC franchise champion loses, the person who beats him does NOT become a champion. Instead, that person gets a WBC diamond belt and MAY become the mandatory contender to the regular champion. That's a breathtaking amount of idiocy that requires some unpacking.  If Brandon Adams beats Jermall Charlo this weekend, the WBC will recognize him as its world champion. If Adams were instead to beat Alvarez-- the legitimate world middleweight champion-- he would become the mandatory challenger.  The WBC has not even thought this through, as the regular champion could already have a mandatory challenger in place, thus making the franhise champion conqueror essentially a #2 contender. And by the way, if Alvarez retires as franchise champion, he gets converted into champion in recess.

 

Here is the new WBC rule in its full moronic splendor: 

 

A Franchise Champion shall enjoy special status with respect to his or her mandatory obligations, holding multiple titles and competing for titles of other organizations, as the WBC Board of Governors rules on a case-by-case basis. 

 

The Word Boxing Council is proud to proclaim the designation of WBC Middleweight World Champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as WBC Middleweight Franchise Champion.  The WBC is bestowing that honor upon Champion Alvarez due to his many accomplishments which have positioned him as major worldwide attraction in boxing, and in light of his unquestionable boxing career linked to our organization. With Canelo’s appointment as Franchise Champion WBC interim champion Jermall Charlo is now confirmed as WBC middleweight champion of the world. Charlo will defend his WBC world championship this Saturday night in Houston vs. Brandon Adams.

 

The WBC Franchise champion designation has been stablished to provide a unique status to those fighters who prove to be of an elite level and stature, those who compete and have activity in multiple divisions, those who have accomplished success in the ring and hold a proven and unquestionable stature in the boxing industry.

 

The Franchise Champion designation is awarded exclusively by the World Boxing Council and considers the following mutual agreements between the WBC, the champion and his promoter

 

1.      The Franchise Champion designation is exclusively by appointment of the WBC Board of Governors by a majority vote of the board.

 

2.      This designation is not transferable and is exclusively to the fighter who receives such designation.

 

3.      The Franchise Champion will be designated as WBC Emeritus Champion once he retires from boxing.

 

4.      The Franchise Champion will proudly represent the WBC in every single fight as a reigning WBC champion, regardless of any specific conditions or titles being associated with all future fights. WBC rules and regulations will govern under the traditional conditions of boxing in the Franchise champion fights. WBC will approve through the franchise champion promoter every opponent scheduled to fight.

 

5.      Franchise Champion agrees to participate in a minimum of two social responsibility events every year, organized and in conjunction with the WBC.

 

6.      The WBC may recognize a WBC champion in the division or divisions where the Franchise champion currently competes.

 

7.      The WBC may award a Diamond Championship belt in those fights in which the Franchise Champion engages.  If the Franchise Champion loses, the winner will receive the Diamond belt and may be considered as mandatory contender of the division.