World Boxing Council#Affiliated organizations

The WBC was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Tunisia, the Philippines, Panama, USSR, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil. Representatives met in Mexico City on 14 February 1963, upon invitation of Adolfo López Mateos, then President of Mexico, to form an international organization to unify all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.{{cite web |last1=Curtis |first1=Tyler |title=47 Years of Rotten Boxing Decisions and the WBC Is Still Going Strong |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/346325-47-years-of-rotten-boxing-decisions-and-the-wbc-is-still-going-strong |website=bleacherreport.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=16 February 2010}}

The groups that historically had recognized several boxers as champions included the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), the National Boxing Association (NBA) of the United States, the European Boxing Union (EBU) and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC); but for the most part, these groups lacked the all-encompassing 'international' status they claimed.{{Citation needed|reason="All-encompassing 'international' status" needs to be defined clearly because it means a lot of nations from around the world, a claim that is not found in the next source.|date=April 2015}}

Today, it has 161 member countries. The current WBC President is Mauricio Sulaimán. Former Presidents include Luis Spota and Ramon G. Velázquez of Mexico, Justiniano N. Montano Jr. of the Philippines and José Sulaimán of Mexico from 1975 until his death in 2014.{{cite web |last1=Rafael |first1=Dan |title=WBC taps Mauricio Sulaiman as prez |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/10441318/wbc-appoints-jose-sulaiman-son-mauricio-president |website=espn.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=12 February 2014}}

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Council blocked championship fights involving Russian and Belarusian boxers.{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1123034/alan-hubbard-blog | title=Alan Hubbard: How Russian champion Bivol sent shockwaves down Mexico way | date=11 May 2022 }}

The WBC's green championship belt portrays the flags of all of the 161 member countries of the organization. All WBC world title belts look identical regardless of weight class; however, there are minor variations on the design for secondary and regionally themed titles within the same weight class.{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=David |title=WBC belt history |url=https://www.wbcme.co.uk/ringside/wbc-belt-history/ |website=wbcme.co.uk |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=13 September 2010}}

The WBC has nine regional governing bodies affiliated with it, such as the North American Boxing Federation, the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation, the European Boxing Union, and the African Boxing Union.{{cite web |last1=Eastham |first1=Cliff |title=Alphabet Soup: Getting Lost In The Boxing Organizations |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/365684-alphabet-soup-getting-lost-in-the-boxing-organiztions |website=bleacherreport.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=19 March 2010}}

Although rivals, the WBC's relationship with other sanctioning bodies has improved over time and there have even been talks of unification with the WBA. Unification bouts between WBC and other organizations' champions are becoming more common in recent years. Throughout its history, the WBC has allowed some of its organization's champions to fight unification fights with champions of other organizations, although there were times it stepped in to prevent such fights. For many years, it also prevented its champions from holding the WBO belt. When a WBO-recognized champion wished to fight for a WBC championship, he had to abandon his WBO title first, without any special considerations. This, however, is no longer the case.

In 1983, following the death of Kim Duk-koo from injuries sustained in a 14-round fight against Ray Mancini, the WBC took the unprecedented step of reducing the distance of its world championship bouts, from 15 rounds to 12—a move other organizations soon followed (for boxers' safety).{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Angus |title=WBC Limits Title Fights to 12 Rounds |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1982/12/10/wbc-limits-title-fights-to-12-rounds/370e0dff-01bb-446a-a9e9-c98a1e9bcb27/ |website=washingtonpost.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=10 December 1982}}

Among those to have been recognized by the WBC as world champions are the undefeated and undisputed champions Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roy Jones Jr., Wilfred Benítez, Wilfredo Gómez, Julio César Chávez, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Mike Tyson, Salvador Sánchez, Héctor Camacho, Marvin Hagler, Carlos Monzón, Rodrigo Valdez, Roberto Durán, Juan Laporte, Félix Trinidad, Edwin Rosario, Bernard Hopkins, Alexis Argüello, Nigel Benn, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko, Érik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Naoya Inoue, Canelo Álvarez, Tony Bellew, Mairis Briedis, and Grigory Drozd.

At its discretion, the WBC may designate and recognize, upon a two-thirds majority vote of its Board of Governors, one or more emeritus world champions in each weight class. Such a recognition is for life and is only bestowed upon present or past WBC world champions. The following boxers have earned the "Emeritus Championship" appellation throughout their careers: Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko, Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins (Honorary Champion), Mikkel Kessler, Sergio Martínez, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Kostya Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao, Danny García, Érik Morales, Toshiaki Nishioka, Vic Darchinyan, Édgar Sosa and Tony Bellew. This allows the fighters, should they return to competition, to take part in a title bout in the division they have been crowned emeritus champion. During the WBC's 51st Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was named "Supreme Champion", a designation that nobody before him has ever achieved.{{cite web |title=Floyd Mayweather Is Named "Supreme Champion" |url=https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/boxing-articles-and-news-videos-results-rankings-and-history/17555-floyd-mayweather-is-named-qsupreme-championq |website=tss.ib.tv |date=12 November 2013 |access-date=5 September 2022}}

The WBC bolstered the legitimacy of women's boxing by recognizing fighters such as Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker as contenders for female world titles in 16 weight divisions. The first WBC World Female Champion (on 30 May 2005) was the super bantamweight Jackie Nava from Mexico. With her former-champion father at ringside, Laila Ali won the super middleweight title on 11 June 2005.

In 2010, the WBC created a "Silver Championship", intended as a replacement for interim titles.{{cite web |url=http://www.boxingscene.com/wbc-replace-interim-titles-with-silver-titles--26323 |title=WBC May Replace Interim-Titles with 'Silver Titles' |date=25 March 2010 |publisher=boxingscene.com}} Justin Savi was the first boxer to win a Silver title after defeating Cyril Thomas on 16 April 2010. Unlike its interim predecessor, a boxer holding the Silver title cannot automatically inherit a full world title vacated by the champion. The WBC continues to recognize interim and Silver Champions, as well as interim Silver Champions.{{cite web |url=http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/concepcion-narvaez-will-meet-for-interim-wbc-silver-belt-in-panama-207498|title=Concepcion-Narvaez will meet for interim WBC silver belt in Panama|work=Boxing News}} A year later, the WBC introduced Silver versions to its International titles.{{cite web|url=http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/allotey-wins-wbc-international-silver-belt-104967|title=Allotey wins WBC International Silver belt|work=Boxing News}} As of 2020, there are Silver titles of the female world title, Youth World title, USNBC title, Latino title and also FECARBOX title.

In September 2009, the WBC created its new "Diamond Championship" belt. This belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile and elite boxers.{{cite web|url=http://www.fightnews.com/?p=22319|title=WBC Diamond Belt Presentation|publisher=Fightnews|access-date=2009-09-08}} The inaugural Diamond belt was awarded on 14 November 2009 to Manny Pacquiao, who won his 7th world title (in seven different divisions) via a 12th-round technical knockout (TKO) over Miguel Cotto at welterweight in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Other holders of this title have included Mairis Briedis (cruiserweight), Bernard Hopkins (light heavyweight), Callum Smith (super middleweight), Sergio Martínez and Canelo Álvarez (middleweight), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (super welterweight), Errol Spence Jr. (welterweight), Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor (super lightweight), Nonito Donaire (super bantamweight and bantamweight), Naoya Inoue (super bantamweight and bantamweight), Léo Santa Cruz (featherweight), Jean Pascal and Sergey Kovalev (light heavyweight), Mikey Garcia (welterweight and super lightweight), Jorge Linares (lightweight), Alexander Povetkin (heavyweight), and Román González (super flyweight). At the WBC convention in December 2012, Muhammad Ali was awarded an honorary WBC Diamond belt.{{Cite web |last=KNews |date=2012-12-05 |title=WBC confers ‘King of Boxing’ honour on Muhammad Ali at 50th Convention |url=https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2012/12/05/wbc-confers-king-of-boxing-honour-on-muhammad-ali-at-50th-convention/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Kaieteur News |language=en-US}} Female Diamond champions have included Claressa Shields (middleweight), Amanda Serrano (super bantamweight), Ana María Torres (bantamweight), Raja Amasheh (super flyweight), Ava Knight and Jessica Chávez (flyweight). Although this title can be defended, it is not a mandatory requirement. The title can also be vacated in the case of a fighter's long-term absence or retirement from boxing.

In 2019, the WBC Franchise Championship was introduced as an honorary title awarded to dominant champions that have represented the WBC and is a special designation and status which the WBC may honor to a current WBC World Champion, who is also an elite boxer, and who remains a top performer in the sport. Boxers who has been given the honorary title, must vacate their WBC world title in that division as the honorary title is transferable.{{cite web |last1=Boxingscene Staff |title=Sulaiman Stands Firm on Creating "Franchise" Title, Explains The Concept |url=https://www.boxingscene.com/sulaiman-stands-firm-on-creating-franchise-title-explains-concept--156594 |website=boxingscene.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=2 April 2021}} Boxers who have been named WBC Franchise Champion include: Canelo Alvarez (middleweight; 2019–2020),{{cite web |last1=Rafael |first1=Dan |title=Canelo loses a title, now WBC 'franchise champ' |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/27068849/canelo-loses-title-now-wbc-franchise-champ |website=espn.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=27 June 2019}} Vasiliy Lomachenko (lightweight; 2019–2020),{{cite web |last1=Rafael |first1=Dan |title=WBC gives plans for titlists, names Vasiliy Lomachenko 'franchise champ' |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/27914825/wbc-gives-plans-titlists-names-vasiliy-lomachenko-franchise-champ |website=espn.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=24 October 2019}} Teófimo López (lightweight; 2020–2021),{{cite web |last1=Esco |first1=Wil |title=Teofimo Lopez shows off two WBC title belts, says Devin Haney 'got played' |url=https://www.badlefthook.com/2021/2/5/22268332/teofimo-lopez-shows-off-two-wbc-title-belts-says-devin-haney-got-played-boxing-news-2021 |website=badlefthook.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=5 February 2021}} Juan Francisco Estrada (super flyweight; since 2021), and George Kambosos Jr. (lightweight; 2021–2022).{{cite web |last1=Donovan |first1=Jake |title=Juan Francisco Estrada Named WBC "Franchise" Champ, Four-Man "SuperFly" Tournament Called |url=https://www.boxingscene.com/juan-francisco-estrada-named-wbc-franchise-champ-four-man-superfly-tournament-called--156431 |website=boxingscene.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=26 March 2021}}

The WBC Eternal Championship is an honorary title awarded to retired boxers that have never lost the WBC world title in the ring while having a solid number of successful title defenses. Jiselle Salandy was awarded the Eternal title as she defended the WBC female super welterweight title five times before her death on 4 January 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-97/jizelle-salandy-glory-ring|title=Jizelle Salandy: glory in the ring|publisher=Carribbean Beat|accessdate=26 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://archives.newsday.co.tt/2009/02/11/salandy-gets-eternal-champion-award/|title=Salandy gets Eternal Champion Award|publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Newsday|accessdate=26 March 2025}} On 12 December 2016, Vitali Klitschko was recognized as "Eternal Champion", as he had 10 successful WBC heavyweight title defenses during his career before his retirement in 2013 and was never knocked down throughout his career either.{{cite web|url=https://boxingnewsonline.net/vitali-klitschko-named-eternal-world-heavyweight-champion-by-the-wbc/|title=Vitali Klitschko named 'Eternal World Heavyweight Champion' by the WBC|publisher=Boxing News Online |accessdate=26 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://wbc-ukraine.com/en/news/193-vitaliy-klitschko-is-the-only-eternal-wbc-champion-in-history|title=Vitaliy Klitschko is the only "Eternal" WBC Champion in history|publisher=WBC Ukraine|accessdate=26 March 2025}}

The WBC also awards commemorative world championship belts to certain boxers as trophies for winning historic fights or exhibition matches.{{Cite web|url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/the-commemorative-belts/|title=The Commemorative Belts|date=20 April 2021 }}{{Cite web|url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/round-12-the-wbc-commemorative-belts/|title=Round 12: The WBC Commemorative Belts|date=27 April 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/the-world-boxing-council-commemorative-belts-2/ | title=The World Boxing Council Commemorative Belts | date=4 May 2023 }} The following are the recipients of the commemorative belts:

• 24K Gold — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (September 14, 2013){{Cite web|url=https://www.boxingnews24.com/2013/07/mayweather-canelo-winner-will-get-wbc-24k-gold-world-championship-strap/|title=Mayweather-Canelo winner will get WBC 24K Gold World Championship strap ⋆ Boxing News 24|date=July 14, 2013|website=Boxing News 24}}
• Emerald — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (May 2, 2015){{Cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/4/21/8464359/mayweather-pacquiao-1-million-wbc-emerald-belt-photo|title=Here is the $1MM belt for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather|first=Bill|last=Hanstock|date=April 21, 2015|website=SBNation.com}}
• Onyx — Joe Smith Jr. (December 17, 2016){{Cite web|url=https://www.boxingnews24.com/2016/12/joe-beast-smith-bernard-executioner-hopkins-make-weight-saturdays-fight/|title=Joe Smith and Bernard Hopkins both make weight ⋆ Boxing News 24|date=December 16, 2016|website=Boxing News 24}}
• Huichol I — Canelo Álvarez (May 6, 2017)
• Money — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (August 26, 2017){{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/8/24/16195296/wbc-president-explains-origin-of-over-the-top-priceless-money-belt-for-mayweather-vs-mcgregor|title=WBC president explains origin of over-the-top, 'priceless' Money Belt for Mayweather vs. McGregor|first=Marc|last=Raimondi|date=August 24, 2017|website=MMA Fighting}}
• Huichol II — Gennady Golovkin (September 16, 2017)
• Chiapaneco I — Gennady Golovkin (May 5, 2018)
• Chiapaneco II — Canelo Álvarez (September 15, 2018)
• Maya I — Canelo Álvarez (May 4, 2019)
• Maya II — Tyson Fury (September 14, 2019)
• Mazahua — Heroes of Humanity (May 5, 2020)
• Otomi — Julio César Chávez and Jorge Arce (September 25, 2020)
• Frontline Battle — Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. (November 28, 2020){{Cite web|url=https://www.dazn.com/en-GLOBAL/news/boxing/wbc-announces-new-frontline-battle-belt-for-tyson-jones-fight/iyeaqro8mmta1d6stizu8ixbl|title=WBC announces new Frontline Battle Belt for Tyson-Jones fight | DAZN News Global|website=DAZN|date=26 October 2020 }}
• Health Care Hero — Errol Spence Jr. (December 5, 2020){{Cite web|url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/austins-health-care-hero-masterpiece-is-the-focal-point-of-spence-jr-vs-garcia-wbc-belt/|title=Austin's "Health Care Hero" masterpiece is the focal point of Spence Jr Vs Garcia WBC Belt|date=2 December 2020 }}
• Mestizo — Canelo Álvarez (May 8, 2021)
• Freedom 2021 — Jermall Charlo (June 19, 2021){{Cite web|url=https://fightnews.com/wbc-unveils-freedom-belt/114725|title=Boxing News: WBC unveils Freedom belt » September 4, 2021|date=June 10, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/the-wbc-freedom-belt/|title = The WBC Freedom Belt| date=10 June 2021 }}
• Crypto — Sujithan Suntharavel (October 16, 2021){{Cite web|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/amir-khan-stage-special-dubai-card-on-october-16-with-special-wbc-crypto-title--160539|title=Amir Khan To Stage Special Dubai Card on October 16, With Special WBC Crypto Title|website=BoxingScene.com|date=13 September 2021 }}
• Teotihuacan — Canelo Álvarez (November 6, 2021)
• Union — Tyson Fury (April 23, 2022){{Cite web|url=https://wbcboxing.com/en/the-union-belt/|title = The Union Belt| date=17 February 2022 }}
• Celtic-Boricua — Katie Taylor (April 30, 2022){{cite web | url=https://www.britishboxingnews.co.uk/blogs/wbc-unveil-their-celtic-boricua-belt-for-the-winner-of-katie-taylor-vs-amanda-serrano | title=WBC unveil their Celtic – Boricua Belt for the winner of Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano | date=29 April 2022 }}
• Guerrero Jaguar Zapoteca — Canelo Álvarez (September 17, 2022)
• Elizabethan — Claressa Shields (October 15, 2022){{cite web | url=https://www.marca.com/en/boxing/2022/10/06/633e4c38ca474126078b4580.html | title=WBC will make world championship belt in honor of Queen Elizabeth II | date=6 October 2022 }}
• Diriyah — Tommy Fury (February 26, 2023){{cite web | url=https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1341959/jake-paul-tommy-fury-wbc-new-belt-diriyah-champion/ | title=WBC reveal special belt up for grabs to winner of Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury fight | date=26 February 2023 }}
• Puebla-Jalisco — Canelo Álvarez (May 6, 2023)
• Juneteenth — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (June 11, 2023){{cite web | url=https://www.boxingscene.com/mayweather-receive-wbc-juneteenth-themed-title-gotti-fight--174621 | title=Mayweather to Receive a WBC Juneteenth-Themed Title for Gotti Fight | date=15 May 2023 }}
• Puebla — Canelo Alvarez (September 30, 2023)
• Riyadh — Tyson Fury (October 28, 2023){{cite web | url=https://www.mmanews.com/news/wbc-belt-upcoming-tyson-fury-francis-ngannou-fight | title=Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou Winner Gets This Unique WBC Championship Belt | date=7 September 2023 }}
• Tamaulipas I — Canelo Álvarez (May 4, 2024)
• Undisputed I — Oleksandr Usyk (May 18, 2024){{Cite web|url=https://fightnews.com/special-fury-usyk-wbc-belt/160734|title=Boxing News: Special Fury-Usyk WBC belt » August 16, 2024|date=April 15, 2024}}
• Freedom 2024 — Gary Russell Sr. (posthumous) (June 14, 2024)https://sportsalmanacfuture.com/index.php/en/2024/06/15/juneteenth-belt-2024-a-tribute-to-the-russell-dynasty/
• Tamaulipas II — Canelo Álvarez (September 14, 2024)
• Rumble in the Jungle — Oleksandr Usyk (December 21, 2024)https://bloodyelbow.com/2024/12/17/winner-of-tyson-fury-vs-oleksandr-usyk-2-to-receive-unique-and-special-award-that-is-a-thing-a-beauty/
• Guerrero Azteca — Isaac Cruz (February 1, 2025)https://wbcboxing.com/en/pitbull-cruz-and-angel-tashiro-fierro-contesting-guerrero-azteca-belt/
• Undisputed II — Dmitry Bivol (February 22, 2025)https://wbcboxing.com/en/commemorative-wbc-belt-for-beterbiev-vs-bivol-ii/

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph in 2022, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said that the WBC would ban transgender fighters from competing against cisgender fighters "so the dangers of a man fighting a woman will never happen", and would instead introduce a separate trans category of competition wherein athletes would be divided by their gender assigned at birth. Sulaiman called for current fighters who may be trans to come forward and register accordingly.{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/boxing/2022/12/29/exclusive-boxing-introduce-new-transgender-category/ |title=Exclusive: Boxing to introduce new transgender category |last1=Davies |first1=Gareth|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=29 December 2022 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/world-boxing-council-plans-create-090741074.html |title=The World Boxing Council plans to create transgender category |last1=Powell |first1=Jon|date=30 December 2022 }}

In early 1998, Roy Jones Jr. announced that he was relinquishing his WBC light heavyweight title. In response, the WBC ordered a bout between Graciano Rocchigiani from Germany and the former champion Michael Nunn to fill the vacancy, sanctioning it as a world championship match. On 21 March 1998, Rocchigiani won the fight and a WBC belt; in the subsequent WBC rankings, he was listed as "Light Heavyweight World Champion".

Jones, however, had a change of heart and asked if the WBC would reinstate him as the champion. In a move that violated nearly a dozen of its own regulations, the WBC granted the reinstatement.{{Cite web|title=USATODAY.com - Bankruptcy could spell doom for WBC|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2004-06-13-wbc_x.htm|access-date=2021-11-23|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com}} Rocchigiani received a letter from the WBC advising that the publication of his name as champion was a typographical error and he had never been the official title holder.

Rocchigiani immediately filed a lawsuit against the WBC in a U.S. federal court, claiming that the organization's actions were both contrary to their own rules and injurious to his earning potential (due to diminished professional stature). On 7 May 2003, the judge ruled in Rocchigiani's favor, awarding him $31 million (U.S.) in damages and reinstating him as a former WBC champion (Rocchigiani had lost a bout since his WBC title match).{{cite news |title="Rocky" geht im letzten Kampf die Puste aus |url=https://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/niederlage-gegen-ulrich-rocky-geht-im-letzten-kampf-die-puste-aus-a-248223.html |newspaper=Der Spiegel |date=11 May 2003 |access-date=5 September 2022}}

The following day, the WBC sought protection by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (i.e., corporate debt restructuring) in Puerto Rico. The organization spent the next 13 months trying to negotiate a 6-figure settlement with Rocchigiani, but the fighter at first rejected the proposal.{{cite web |last1=Associated Press |title=WBC avoiding $31 million owed to fighter |url=https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=1821391 |website=espn.com |access-date=5 September 2022 |date=14 June 2004}}

On 11 June 2004, the WBC announced it would enter Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation (i.e., business closing and total asset sell-off) proceedings, effectively threatening its existence. This action prompted some in the boxing community to plead with Rocchigiani to settle the dispute, which he did in mid-July 2004.

Many in the boxing community have accused the WBC of bending its rules to suit the powerful boxing promoter Don King. The journalist Jack Newfield wrote, "...[WBC President José Sulaimán] became more King's junior partner than his independent regulator".{{cite book|last=Newfield|first=Jack|title=Only In America|publisher=William & Morrow Co.|year=1995|location=New York, New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/onlyinamericalif00newf/page/141 141]|isbn=0-688-10123-2|url=https://archive.org/details/onlyinamericalif00newf/page/141}} Another journalist, Peter Heller, echoes that comment: "Sulaimán...became little more than an errand boy for Don King". Heller quotes British promoter Mickey Duff as saying, "My complaint is that José Sulaimán is not happy his friend Don King is the biggest promoter in boxing. Sulaimán will only be happy when Don King is the only promoter in boxing."{{cite book|last=Heller|first=Peter|title=Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story|publisher=New American Library|year=1988|location=New York, New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/onlyinamericalif00newf/page/143 143]|isbn=0-688-10123-2|url=https://archive.org/details/onlyinamericalif00newf/page/143}}

Newfield and Heller take issue with the following actions of the WBC:

• When Leon Spinks won the WBA and WBC Heavyweight Championships from Muhammad Ali in 1978, the WBC stripped Leon Spinks of his title. José Sulaimán said the WBC did so because Spinks was signed for a rematch with Ali instead of fighting a Don King fighter, Ken Norton. Norton defended the WBC title against another Don King fighter, Larry Holmes, who won the belt.
• In 1983, WBC Super Featherweight Champion Bobby Chacon was signed to fight Cornelius Boza-Edwards, the WBC's mandatory challenger for his title. But, the promoter Don King wanted his fighter, Héctor Camacho, to fight for the title. Although WBC rules said the mandatory challenger should receive a shot at the title, the WBC withdrew its sanction from the fight. It stripped Chacon of his title for refusing to fight Camacho.
• Under WBC rules, a fighter is supposed to defend his title against a mandatory challenger at least once a year. For fighters controlled by Don King, this rule is often ignored. For instance, Alexis Argüello and Carlos Zárate were allowed to ignore their obligations as WBC champions to their mandatory contenders.
• When WBC Super Featherweight Champion Julio César Chávez wanted to fight top contender Roger Mayweather for a promoter other than Don King, the WBC withheld its sanction of the fight until Don King became promoter.
• When Mike Tyson lost to James "Buster" Douglas during an IBF, WBC and WBA Heavyweight Championship defense, King convinced the WBC (along with the WBA) to withhold recognition of Douglas as heavyweight champion. King claimed that Tyson had won the fight by knocking Douglas down, after which the referee gave Douglas a "long count". The referee, Octavio Meyran, claims in an affidavit that King threatened to have the WBC withhold payment of his hotel bill if he did not support King's protest.{{Cite journal|last=Sugar|first=Bert|title=In This Corner|journal= Boxing Illustrated|volume=32| issue = 8|page=4|date=October 1990}} Because of intense public pressure, both the WBA and WBC backed down and recognized Douglas as champion.
• In 1992, the WBC threatened to strip Evander Holyfield of his title for defending it against Riddick Bowe instead of Razor Ruddock. Holyfield obtained a court order to stop the organization. In a taped deposition for the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Holyfield said that the WBC wanted him to defend his championship against Ruddock because Ruddock was managed by King.{{Cite journal|last=Heaney|first=John|title=The Senate Investigation: Much Ado About Nothing|journal= Boxing Illustrated|volume=35|issue=10|page=38|date=December 1992}}
• During the 1990s, the WBC did not allow its champions to engage in unification bouts with WBO champions. However, in 1993, the super middleweight showdown between WBC champion Nigel Benn and WBO champion Chris Eubank, promoted by Don King, was recognized as a title unification fight by the WBC. The bout ended in a draw and each retained their respective titles.Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank{{Circular reference|date=October 2017}}
• When Mike Tyson was released from prison in 1995, the WBC installed him as their #1 contender for their heavyweight championship. Tyson had not fought in four years, but was promoted by Don King.{{Cite web |url=http://www.secondsout.com/uk-boxing-news/uk-boxing-news/lewis-v-tyson-fallout-could-destroy-wbc |title=SecondsOut Boxing News - UK Boxing News - Lewis v Tyson fallout could destroy WBC |access-date=2017-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019215824/http://www.secondsout.com/uk-boxing-news/uk-boxing-news/lewis-v-tyson-fallout-could-destroy-wbc |archive-date=2017-10-19 |url-status=dead }}
• In 1993, Julio César Chávez, managed and promoted by Don King, received a majority draw against Pernell Whitaker in their WBC welterweight title fight in San Antonio, Texas. Virtually every ringside observer and boxing analyst had Whitaker winning at least 8 or 9 rounds of the 12-round fight and CompuBox statistics showed Whitaker outlanding Chávez by a wide margin. But two of the three judges had the fight scored even. The fight was promoted by King and two of the judges were not appointed by the state's boxing commission (in this case, Texas) like any other time; instead, they were appointed by the WBC. It had been reported that Don King had a hand in helping to secure the WBC judges for the fight.{{Cite web|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1993/09/20/beaten-to-the-draw-pernell-whitaker-outboxed-julio-cesar-chavez-but-two-judges-denied-him-the-win|title=Beaten to the Draw - Sports Illustrated Vault}} To this day, the resulting draw is considered one of the most controversial decisions ever.
• In 2000, Chávez, still promoted by King, was made the mandatory challenger for Kostya Tszyu's WBC super lightweight title. Chávez did not appear to satisfy requirements for a mandatory challenger: he had not fought at super lightweight for two years, had recently lost to journeyman boxer Willy Wise and had not beaten a top contender since losing to Oscar De La Hoya for the first time in 1996.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}
• In 2005, the WBC stripped Javier Castillejo of his super welterweight title for fighting Fernando Vargas instead of Ricardo Mayorga, a fighter promoted by Don King. The WBC qualified Mayorga for a shot at the super welterweight title although he had never fought at that weight limit and had lost two of his last three fights.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}

As of {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}

• Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF)
• North American Boxing Federation (NABF)
• European Boxing Union (EBU)
• Asian Boxing Council (ABCO)
• African Boxing Union (ABU)
• WBC Middle East Boxing Council (WBC MEBC)
• United States National Boxing Council (USNBC)
• Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE)
• Central American Boxing Federation (FECARBOX)
• CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau (CISBB)
• South American Continental Boxing Federation (FECONSUR)
• Hispanic World Boxing Association (ABMH)
• World Boxing Council Muaythai (WBC Muaythai)
• World Boxing Council Ukraine (WBC Ukraine)

• List of major boxing sanctioning bodies
• List of WBC world champions
• List of WBC female world champions
• List of current world boxing champions
• List of WBC international champions
• List of WBC youth champions
• WBC Legends of Boxing Museum

{{Reflist}}

{{Commonscatinline}}

• {{Official website|http://www.wbcboxing.com/}}

{{World boxing champions}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Professional boxing governing bodies

Category:Sports organizations established in 1963

Category:1963 establishments in Mexico

Category:International sports organizations