Next year’s most sensational boxing event was announced during the Wednesday morning general assembly meeting at the World Boxing Council’s 47th annual convention – “Night of Champions” is scheduled to be held in Cardiff, Wales, in November, 2010. The first Night of Champions – Noche de Campeones - was held in December, 2006, in Cancun three months after Hurricane Wilma had destroyed much of the Mexican resort. The incredible event, which brought together 97 current and former world champions – the largest gathering of world champions in history - played a big part in revitalizing Cancun.

Much of the rest of the day was spent on mandatory world title defenses.

Heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on December 12 against No. 5 ranked Kevin Johnson of the United States. A final elimination bout  between No. 1 ranked Ray Austin of the U.S. and No. 2 ranked Oleg Maskaev of the U.S./Kazakhstan must be held by May, 2010, to determine the next mandatory challenger.

Cruiserweight world champion Giacobbe Fragomeni of Italy is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on November 21 against No. 4 ranked Zsolt Erdei of Hungary. No. 1 ranked Krzystof Wlodarczyk of Poland requested a rematch of his 12 round draw against Fragomeni in May, 2009, against Fragomeni, and it was approved as Fragomeni’s next fight. The winner of the fight must make a mandatory title defense against No. 2 ranked Herbie Hide of England.

Light heavyweight world champion Jean Pascal of Haiti/Canada is scheduled to  make a voluntary title defense in the rematch on December 11 against Adrian Diaconu of Romania/Canada. Former WBC world champion Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson will fight for the interim title on November 7.  The winner of the Pascal-Diaconu fight is committed to make his mandatory title defense within 90 to 120 days against the winner of Dawson-Johnson.

 During today’s general assembly meeting, No. 3 ranked super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell of the U.S. requested a rematch of his split decision loss in October against super middleweight world champion Carl Froch of England. The WBC is a strong supporter of Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight tournament, in which both Dirrell and Froch are participants. If the rematch could be scheduled without interfering with the tournament, it will be approved. If it cannot, then Dirrell will become the mandatory challenger after the tournament has finished.

The status of middleweight world champion Kelly Pavlik of the U.S. and interim Sebastian Zbik of Germany will be discussed in tomorrow’s meeting.

 Super welterweight world champion Sergio Martinez of Argentina/U.S. requested approval for a nontitle fight at 160 pounds against Paul Williams of the U.S. Williams had been preparing to challenge middleweight world champion Pavlik on December 5, but Pavlik withdrew from the fight due to an injury, and Williams did not want to change his preparation to fight at the lower weight limit. Martinez’ request was approved. His mandatory defense will be determined at a later date.

Welterweight world champion Andre Berto of the U.S. requested approval for a voluntary title defense on January 30 against WBA champion Shane Mosley of the U.S. The request was approved on the condition that Mosley publicly apologize to the WBC for abandoning the WBC title to challenge Antonio Margarito for the WBA title in January, 2009. No. 2 ranked Luis Collazo of the U.S. was ordered to fight No. 3 ranked WBC International champion Selcuk Aydin of Turkey for the interim world title, with the winner to be the mandatory challenger.

In the super lightweight division, world champion Devon Alexander of the U.S. is free to make a voluntary title defense. The final elimination bout to determine the mandatory challenger between No. 2 ranked Jo Jo Dan (Ionut Dan Ion) of Romania and No. 3 ranked Ajose Olusegun of Nigeria was cancelled when the promoter of the fight defaulted. A tournament was proposed between either the top four or top six contenders to determine the mandatory challenger, which will be discussed at tomorrow’s general assembly meeting.

Lightweight world champion Edwin Valero of Venezuela is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on December 19 against No. 14 ranked Hector Velazquez of Mexico. The winner must next make his mandatory title defense against interim champion Antonio De Marco of Mexico.

Super featherweight world champion Humberto Soto of Mexico is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on December 5 against an opponent to be determined, and has announced that he will vacate the title to move up in weight after the fight. Interim champion Humberto Gutierrez of Mexico will defend the title against No. 5 ranked Vitaly Tajbert of Germany. When Soto vacates the title the winner of the interim title fight will become undisputed WBC world champion.

Featherweight world champion Elio Rojas of the Dominican Republic is in a voluntary stage. A proposal was approved to organize a tournament of the top six contenders to determine the mandatory challenger.

Super bantamweight world champion Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan is in a voluntary stage.

Bantamweight world champion Hozumi Hasegawa of Japan is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense on December 18, and has stated that he might vacate the title to move in weight after that. A final elimination bout to determine the mandatory challenger was approved between No. 1 ranked Simpiwe Vetyeka of South Africa and No. 2 ranked Abner Mares of Mexico, with the free negotiation period to begin tomorrow. If Hasegawa vacates the title after his next defense, the Simpewe-Mares fight has been approved for the vacant title.

Super flyweight world champion Vic Darchinyan of Australia is scheduled to make his mandatory title defense against interim champion Tomas Rojas of Mexico on December 12.

Flyweight world champion Daisuke Naito of Japan is scheduled to make a voluntary defense on November 29 against No. 3 ranked Koki Kameda of Japan, with the winner to make his mandatory defense against interim champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand. All three fighters involved in those two fights have said that they are willing to fight current light flyweight world champion Sosa if he moves up in weight.

Light flyweight world champion Edgar Sosa of Mexico is scheduled to make a voluntary title defense – his 11th overall – on November 21 against No. 7 ranked Rodel Mayol of Philippines, and has said that he might vacate the title to move up in weight after the fight. If he does vacate the title, No. 1 ranked Omar Nino of Mexico will fight the highest available challenger for the title, with the winner to be obligated to two mandatory defenses.

Strawweight world champion Oleydong Sithsanerchai of Thailand is scheduled to make his mandatory title defense on November 27 against interim champion Juan Palacios of Nicaragua.

The WBC’s 48th annual convention in 2010 is confirmed to be held in Mexico, but the city has not been determined yet. Mexico City, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta are among those being considered.