By Miguel Rivera
Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, the President of the World Boxing Association, says he will reinforce the organization's policy to reduce the number of championships despite how complicated it might be.
The current president of the sanctioning body has explained that there have been some setbacks with the WBA's mission of reducing titles in some the weight categories, but that somehow they are getting their job by having only 26 champions at the moment - with a final goal of 17. A few years ago the WBA had as many as 40 champions between interim, regular and super title belts.
"The management of multi-titles has not been easy, there have been cases where it is beneficial and others where it has cost us a lot of work, but today we have 8 divisions with only one champion and we are going to keep on that same line, because that was a promise that I made," said Mendoza to ESPN Deportes.
The only weight category in which the WBA still has three champions is featherweight, with Mexicans Leo Santa Cruz (super) and Abner Mares (regular), and Puerto Rican Jesús Rojas (interim).
However, one of those belts will be eliminated with the scheduled clash between Abner and Leo on June 9 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. And the winner will face to contender with Rojas.
IN OTHER NEWS: Carlos Cañizales and Reiya Konishi will enter the ring this Sunday at the Partopia Hotel in Kobe, Japan, to fight for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Light Flyweight title.
The Venezuelan made his arrival in Japan over the weekend to face the local fighter in a battle of undefeated boxers that promises to be a good fight. Cañizalez is 25 years old and has already fought for a world championship. On that occasion, he went to a draw with the experienced Ryoichi Taguchi in a very disputed fight. For his part, Konishi was the Japanese Minimumweight Champion and will now go up a division in his first world title fight.
The South American has a record of 19 wins, no defeats, 1 draw and 16 knockouts, while the Asian has record of 15 wins, no losses and 5 knockouts.
