WBA Aims To Continue Eliminating Titles, Start Drug Testing Policy

Published Mon Jan 2, 2017, 3:23 AM

In 2016, the World Boxing Association began their plan of eliminating world titles. In several of the weight classes, there were as many as three WBA champions. For example, in the middleweight division Gennady Golovkin is the WBA's "super" champion, with Daniel Jacobs as the "regular" champion and Hassan N'dam as the WBA interim-champion.

The sanctioning body began ordering interim champions to fight regular champions, and in other weight classes they ordered regular champions to fight super champions. For example, Golovkin is fighting Jacobs, by order of the WBA, on March 18th at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Not everything went as planned, as the WBA's planned tournament to establish a single champion for their sanctioning body fell apart.

"I think we kept to our policy of reducing titles. The last interim champion crowned was Brian Castano but in the future this concept will be regulated and there should not be a period of more than six months without a single champion. Interim-belts will be replaced by elimination fights," Mendoza said to ESPN Deportes.

Another goal for 2017, is to establish a drug test program that is similar to the WBC's Clean Boxing Program. The WBC partnered up with testing agency VADA to randomly test top rated fighters and world champions. Since the program started, VADA has conducted 300 tests and several boxers have come up positive before their scheduled bouts.

"We have some issues that we want to come together on with the WBC. I really like the Clean Boxing Program. Regardless of who created it, it should go for all agencies and it's very interesting," Mendoza said.

The WBA is also the only agency to meet with the AIBA to discuss working together. The other sanctioning bodies have gone to war with AIBA, which regulates amateur boxing. The WBC specifically is at odds with the AIBA. They believe their agency is attempting to establish a monopoly between amateur and pro boxing.

"We were the only agency that had rapprochement with the AIBA. We do not want a wall but we can mediate, we will meet with Dr. Ching Kuo Wu in 2017, and hopefully we can achieve a collaboration agreement. I think we can all work together for the benefit of the sportsman and the sport," Mendoza said.