WBC Orders Shakur Stevenson vs Frank Martin Lightweight Title Bout
WBC ordered the vacant Lightweight Title Bout.
ESPN revealed that WBC ordered that Shakur Stevenson would face Frank Martin for the WBC World Lightweight Championship. The reigning Undisputed Lightweight Champion is demoted as the champion in recess by WBC.
Stevenson and Martin have until September 5 to reach the terms of this fight. Otherwise, it would lead to a purse bid hearing.
ESPN: WBC Orders Shakur Stevenson vs. Frank Martin for Devin Haney's Vacant Title https://t.co/rCZmP3mrCP #sports #feedly
— K Dubb (@TheReal_KDubb) August 27, 2023
Shakur Stevenson is co-promoted by Antonio Leonard Promotions and Top Rank Boxing. He is coming off a sixth-round TKO win against Shuichiro Yoshino. Before that, he faced Robson Conceição where he missed weight for this bout and was stripped off the WBC & WBO Super Featherweight titles.
On the other hand, Frank Martin is coming off a unanimous decision win against Artem Harutyunyan. Before that, he beat Michel Rivera in December 2022. Martin is promoted by Errol Spence’s Man Down Promotions while fighting under shows promoted by Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.
It is the clash between different promoters that makes it hard for a deal to be reached amicably between the fighters. The purse bid will be scheduled on September 5 if the fighters fail to reach an agreement by then, or if they ask for an extension.
Stevenson was eyeing a fight against Devin Haney to challenge for his undisputed lightweight titles, but the talks between these two sides never escalated. Haney instead got in the talks to face Regis Prograis later this year to challenge for WBC Super Lightweight title.
Stay tuned for more updates on this bout.
