Bradley not stripped from title but has the very new title of "champion in recess"

[Kev]

Bilbo will be in here a minute to tell us how great this and the WBC are for the sport of boxing, and yeah they are non-profit b/c the alphabets are what is keeping boxers from indentured servitude.

Actually this is standard procedure in all combat sports when a champion is inactive.

When Brock Lesnar in the UFC got ill Shane Carwin fought Frank Mir for the Interim Heavyweight belt and was presented with it in the cage after his win. Then Brock came in with his belt and they had a stare down. Standard practice, all according to the rules and regulations.

The point is that the title is always active and being fought for. If a champion can't or won't fight the belt goes up for grabs and in many cases the champion gets a belt to ensure he's first in line to fight for it again. It's entirely normal.

LEsnar got "strip" because he would be away for the ring for medical reasons and for a VERY long time. Actually, he was supposed to be out for even longer than he really was, bless his good doctors. They even thought that his career had good chances to be off forever, hence why they ha to relinquish his belt to somebody else. Bradley, it's alll another case. Bradley boxed 7 months ago, which is hardly inactive in the world of boxing where people fight most of the time 2, let along 3 times per 12 months period. The only reason Sulaiman is doing it is to get one more fight, maybe 2 more times where he can sanction somebody to get cash off him.
Emeritus champion, Diamond belt champion, Super champion and now champion in recess, where does this nonsense stops? I am still waiting for the super diamond's champion belt where you have to beat the guy who has the wba, wbo, ibf and then beat the guy who is super champion in order to get it. for very friendly fees, of course.

They are a sanctioning body, they sanction world title fights. That's what the organisation exists to do. If a fighter can't or won't fight it goes on without them. If Tiger Woods gets injured and can't defend a major they don't postpone it until he's better, it goes on without him.

Of course Sulaiman wants a title fight to generate cash, they are a business and their business is world title fights. As I said, it's entirely normal, standard procedure in all combat sports.

If it wasn't some fighters would hardly ever defend their titles. It's only been seven months but he has no fight planned so won't be fighting at least until October, maybe the end of the year. In the meantime they want to hold the second title fight of the year in that weight class, according to their standard terms and conditions.

Bradley is being looked after though, he gets a temporary recess status and will be be first in line to fight the winner.

In the meantime, whilst he's doing nothing and therefor providing nothing for the fans the WBC are giving us an excellent matchup between Eric Morales and Mathhyse. Personally I'm pumped for this fight, going to be a barnburner. Well done WBC.