Confusion again hits the heart of the lightweight division after Devin Haney questioned his role with World Boxing Council.
It comes after the green and gold belt holder heard WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirm George Kambosos as the undisputed 135-pound king.
Sulaiman made the remarks during interview rounds over the festive period. Shortly later, the WBC boss then seemed to state Haney was still the recognized lightweight ruler.
Speaking during a WBC press address, Sulaiman had said: “Basically to attain those very few fighters of the highest level which (want) to take place in great fights that the fans want to see,” when explaining the Franchise role held by Kambosos.
“Canelo was the first one. As a franchise (titleholder), Canelo went on to fight in super middleweight and then at light heavyweight.
“He requested to fight for the WBC vacant championship, so he has not used the franchise designation, and he unified the whole division.
“The other one, lightweight, as I explained it yesterday — it was very complicated three years ago. Mikey Garcia kept the title frozen for a year when he moved up.
“We ordered several series of fights. Some didn’t happen. Some did happen. We ended with an interim championship, and then Lomachenko requested to fight for the vacant title, which is a great honor. We granted that he defeated (Luke) Campbell, then asked for a franchise to go in and unify the division.
“We accepted that he fought Lopez, and Lopez requested to be a franchise if he defeated Lomachenko — that’s the first change in the rule that we had.
“We adjusted where the designation can be exchanged in a high profile fight as it was with that fight, and it was with the Kambosos.
