| WBC
declares Peter as new heavyweight champion
By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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Samuel
Peters
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Nigeria has produced the first Africa World heavyweightboxing
champion, as World Boxing Council (WBC) named "The Nigerian
Nightmare" Samuel Peter as their new heavyweight champion
of the world, following the inability of the incumbent, Oleg
Maskaev to defend his title against the mandatory challenger.
Maskaev, who is from Kazakhstan, claimed to have suffered
a multiple disc herniation injury, which will provoke his
being inactive, at least for the next 3 or 4 months according
to his lawyer, which would lead this division to 14 months
without activity. Consequently, his fight against official
challenger, Samuel Peter from Nigeria, scheduled for October
6, at Madison Square Garden, will not take place.
To avoid the fact that the WBC Heavyweight division remains
frozen, the WBC Board of Governors conclusively voted to name
the Nigerian boxer, Samuel Peter as the WBC Heavyweight interim
world champion, citing relevant rules to justify the decision.
Rules 1.26 (4) and 1.27 of the WBC Rules and Regulations explicitly
allows the WBC, in an instance where an interim title is applicable,
to recognize as interim champion, the winner of a previous
elimination fight. Samuel Peter won not only one, but two
final elimination bouts in a row against James Toney in September
2006, and in January 2007.
Rules 1.26 and 1.27 read: 1.26 Vacant Title. If a title becomes
vacant for any reason, the Board of Governors may in its discretion
take whatever steps or actions it deems necessary or appropriate
to fill the title, including but not limited to:
1) Authorize and cause to be instituted a tournament or elimination
contest among leading available contenders in the division
of the vacant title, with the winner being recognized as the
new champion;
Or 2) authorize or cause to be instituted a direct bout between
the two highest rated available boxers and recognize the winner
as the champion;
Or 3) appoint as challenger, the champion of a lower or higher
division to contend against the highest rated available boxer
of the division for the vacant title;
Or 4) recognize as champion, the winner of a previous elimination
bout. This list is non-exclusive.
The Board of Governors may impose such conditions as it deems
proper and necessary in its discretion upon the new champion
winning a vacant title, including but not limited to:
1) Designating the boxer against whom the first defense of
the title must be made (who may be selected from the highest
rated available boxers or a boxer selected through a final
elimination bout);
2) Ordering the new champion to make his first mandatory defense
within 90 to 120 days of acquiring the title;
3) If requested and feasible, to approve one voluntary defense,
with the condition that the winner must meet his official
mandatory challenger next. This list is also non-exclusive.
1.27 Interim Championship. The WBC may order an interim title
bout when a world champion will be temporarily inactive and
unable to defend his title for a period to exceed 6 months
due to:
a) certified medical reasons
b) a legal impediment
c) a reasonable cause strictly beyond his control.
In ordering the interim championship, the WBC will follow
any of the steps mandated in Rule 1.26. If the inactivity
is estimated to exceed one (1) year, the title shall be declared
vacant.
Upon the return of the champion, the WBC will order a mandatory
bout for the undisputed WBC title with the interim champion.
Both boxers are bound to participate in this bout and cannot
participate in an intervening contest, except in special circumstances
approved by a majority vote of the Board of Governors.
If the bout is promoted through purse offer procedures, the
purse split will be 55 per cent for the champion and 45 per
cent for the interim champion. The WBC may alter this split
at its discretion pursuant to the provisions of Rule 2.11(d).
If the champion does not return after a year of inactivity,
he will forfeit the title to the interim champion, who will
automatically become the undisputed WBC champion.
The World Boxing Council will present interim world champion
Samuel Peter his WBC interim world champion title in a couple
of days.
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