Great WBC Activity in June 2025

June 25-29

The Amazing Muay Thai World Festival was held with great success, with 171 countries participating, in Verona, Italy.

The festival’s opening ceremony took place at the legendary Verona Arena, one of the world’s largest amphitheaters. This massive event is organized by WBC Muay Thai with the support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Sports Authority of Thailand.

The festival represents the pinnacle of international Muay Thai competition and a cultural celebration, bringing together more than 1,600 participants, 860 fighters, coaches, officials, athletes, and enthusiasts.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán was present at this event and witnessed great fights of all levels.

The WBC Cares program played a pivotal role in this grand celebration. WBC MuayThai Secretary General Kevin Noone and WBC Cares Mexico President Christiane Manzur presented the Smile Mission Foundation with a €10,000 donation.

June 29

Michal Cieslak was crowned WBC interim cruiserweight champion with a resounding victory over veteran Jean Pascal.

June 28

Powerful super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli stopped Poland’s Maciej Sulecki at 2:28 of the first round of their scheduled 12-round bout for the WBC interim 168-pound championship.

June 23

Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford faced off at pre-fight conferences (Saudi Arabia, New York) before their fight at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 13.

June 21

Francisco “Chihuas” Rodríguez delivered a fantastic fight in Birmingham, United Kingdom, defeating Galal Yafai by unanimous decision to capture the WBC interim flyweight title.

June 20-21

The WBC Boxing Grand Prix delivered an exciting second round. In two days of fights, we met the 32 boxers who will face each other in the third phase of the first-ever world boxing championship, which will be held in August.

Results:

Super Lightweight:

Ntethelelo Nkosi (South Africa) defeated Wu Ju (China) by decision in an entertaining fight.

Danylo Lozan (Ukraine) defeated Eric Basran (Canada) by technical knockout.

Mujibillo Tursunov (Kazakhstan) defeated Alan Dutra (Argentina) by unanimous decision.

Fiorenzo Priolo (Italy) defeated Efe Konuk (Turkey) by decision.

Carlos Utria (Colombia) defeated Alan David Crenz (Argentina) by decision.

Sanatali Toltayev (Kazakhstan) defeated Jerald Into (Philippines).

Spencer Wilcox (Canada) defeated Bartlomiej Przbyla (Poland) by decision.

Misael Cabrera Urias (Mexico) defeated Orlando Barajas Tirado (Mexico) in a great duel between Mexican warriors.

Middleweight

Carlos Sinisterra Palacios (Colombia) 12-1-0 (9) defeated Hajji Muhis (Finland) by decision.

Lancelot de la Chappelle (France) defeated Isaac Torres Busnegos (Colombia) by technical knockout in round four.

Derek Pomerleau (Canada) defeated Paul Ryan (Ireland) by technical knockout.

Ephrem Bariko (France) defeated Maksym Molodan (Ukraine) by decision.

Petro Frolov (Ukraine) defeated Saulo Morales (Mexico) by decision.

Dylan Biggs (Australia) won against Ciril Johnson (France).

Emiliano Aguillon Castro (Mexico) defeated José Ramón Montes (Mexico).

Dmytro Rybalko (Ukraine) took the win by defeating Mohammad Issa (Jordan).

Featherweight

Bekizizwe Innocent Maitse (South Africa) defeated Juma Ramadhani Choki (Tanzania).

Ayubkhon Bakhtiyorov (Uzbekistan) was defeated in a brutal fight by Jhon Sebastian Bolaño Mendoza (Colombia).

Muhamet Qamili (Italy) defeated Holy Dorgbetor (Ghana).

Yoni Valverde (France) defeated Oleksandr Solomennikov (Ukraine).

Yusuf Adisa Adeniji (Nigeria) defeated Alexandr Kovrigin (Kazakhstan).

Troy Nash (USA) defeated Zholdas Zhengissov (Kazakhstan).

Brandon Mejia Mosqueda (Mexico) defeated Gulraj Singh Powar (United Kingdom).

Iman Joshua Lee (USA) secured the final ticket to the next round of the tournament by defeating the tough Héctor Alejandro Munguía (Mexico).

Heavyweight

Dante Stone (USA) defeated Emiliano Mendoza (Argentina) by decision.

Keaton Gomes (South Africa) knocked out Alija Mesic (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Devon Young (USA) defeated Jonathan Vergara (Argentina) with a resounding victory.

Kevin Ramírez (Argentina) defeated Reagan Apanu (Congo) by decision.

Piotr Lacz (Poland) knocked out Marko Milun (Croatia) in the first round.

Lazizbek Mullojonov (Uzbekistan) earned the victory by dominating Youness Baalla (Morocco).

Ahmed Krnjic (Boznia & Herzegovina) defeated Davide Brito (Italy) by technical knockout.

Tsotne Rogava (Ukraine) defeated Vitaliy Stalchenko (Ukraine) by unanimous decision.

June 20

Stephanie Silva captured the WBC Silver crown at Pala Torrino, Rome, Italy, defeating Mary Romero.

June 17

Prior to her return to the ring, undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 knockouts), participated as a special guest, throwing a ceremonial pitch before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit.

June 15

Ryad Merhy was crowned WBC Bridger Silver Champion by defeating Andrej Pesic in the fourth round.

June 14

Seventeen-year-old Camila “Magnifica” Zamorano from Sonora became the youngest interim champion to date after convincingly defeating Japanese Mika Iwakawa.

June 13

Continuing the Year of Africa celebrations, a great card was held at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana, where the WBC African Bridger belt was contested. Nigerian boxer Andrew Tabiti, a resident of the United States, stunned the home crowd with a resounding fourth-round knockout victory over Ghanaian Jacob Dickson, earning the WBC’s commemorative Year of Africa belt.

A tribute to African boxing legend Azumah Nelson was paid during the card.

June 13

The World Boxing Council confirmed that legendary champion Manny Pacquiao will challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship on July 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM Grand. Mauricio Sulaimán was present in Los Angeles for the official presentation of the sensational bout.

June 10

The Correos de México Postage Stamp First Day of Issue Event was held in conjunction with the WBC at the Palacio de Postal in Mexico City. This year, José Sulaimán, President for Life of the World Boxing Council, would have celebrated his 50th anniversary in office, and to celebrate, Correos de México issued five special stamps commemorating this historic event.

June 8

The International Boxing Hall of Fame 2025 celebration weekend took place. Led by Manny Pacquiao, the inductees included Michael Nunn,  Mary Jo Sanders, Vinny Paz, Rodrigo Valdés, Yessica Chávez, Cathy Davies, and Anne Sophie Mathis; as well as Kenny Bayless, Harry Gibbs, Al Gavin, Randy Gordon, Ross Greenburg, and Owen Swift.

Junto “Big Bang,” Nakatini once again demonstrated his dominance at 118 pounds, defeating Ryosuke Nishida.

June 7

Franchon Crews-Dezurn defeated Citlali “Bellatrix” Ortiz by majority decision in a close fight, defending her crown and winning the Juneteenth Belt.

The Juneteenth Freedom Belt is a special recognition created by the WBC in 2021 to commemorate an important date that commemorates the day slavery was abolished in the United States.

June 5

Vasyl Lomachenko announced his retirement from professional boxing.