WBA regular Heavyweight title finally resolved?

By Gav Duthie: It’s the title that nobody seems to want but it should finally have a home on Saturday night. The WBA regular heavyweight title has been vacant for more than 18 months and after several failed attempts to crown a new champion 40 year Russian Alexander Ustinov 34-1 (25) takes on Manuel Charr 30-4 (17) in Germany this Saturday night to resolve the issue.

The vacant strap has been something of a comedy sketch during this period. Lets take a look back at the turbulent time for the homeless title and preview the fight in question.

Current Rankings

WBA Super: Anthony Joshua
WBA Regular: Vacant
1. Luis Ortiz
2. Alexander Ustinov
3. Fres Oquendo
4. Manuel Charr
5. Alexander Povetkin
6. Christian Hammer
7. Jarrell Miller
8. Kubrat Pulev
9. Dillian Whyte
10. Trevor Bryan

WBA shambles

The last official champion of the title was Ruslan Chagaev. He lost the title in an enthralling fight against Australian Lucas Bowne or so we thought. Chagaev was ahead on all cards when Browne rallied to stop him in the 10th round. It was a great but short lived moment. Browne was the first Australian to win a heavyweight title but he failed a PED test for a diuretic.

Title returned? – Upon the news of Browne’s alleged guilt the WBA did the sensible thing and give it back to Chagaev. Problem is he didn’t want it. The Uzbek refused the belt sating he had retired. Meanwhile Browne protested his innocence, blaming contaminated meat, conspiracy theories and horseplay. He wrote open letters and eventually the WBA believed his story and decided to give him another crack at it.

Browne opponent? – So Chagaev didn’t want a rematch. Plenty of fighters were throwing there hat into the ring. Joshua and Klitschko were in negotiations for the Super title, Luis Prtiz thought he should be involved but he gave up his WBA international title and although David Haye expressed interest in regaining his old strap he opted to wait for Bellew. The WBA opted for Shannon Briggs with a date scheduled for November 2016.

Failed again – For some reason it came as a surprise to me that Lucas Browne failed another PED test a few weeks before the fight so once again the fight was off and the WBA title was still vacant.

Briggs opponent – So we are now well into 2017. The WBA super title was won by Anthony Joshua and ‘Lets go Champ’ Briggs needed an opponent. Perhaps the most bizarre piece of this puzzle is ‘Fast’ Fres Oquendo. He challenged Chagaev for the title way back in 2014. He lost a majority decision in a controversial fight. He has not fought since but won a court battle due to the controversial decision so he would be in position to fight for the title later. He has not stayed busy but was put in place to face Briggs for June 2017 to fight for the title.

Nobody wants it – There is a rule that any heavyweight title fight requires a purse bid of $1 million minimum. The problem is what promoter is going to shell that out for a fight nobody cares about. The purse bids came and nobody matched it. Unbelievably an agreement was met a month later and the fight was on.

Another failed test – Once again right on cue it was Briggs turn this time to fail a test. A few weeks before the fight it was off. Briggs to his credit didn’t scream conspiracy he held his hands up and admitted he took them but at the end of the day the title remained vacant.

And Finally?

So a fresh new pair of opponents with no history of drug use. Ustinov and Charr have been in the mix for a long time and although not elite they are respected opponents. I quite fancy Ustinov to win this won despite his age. He had 18 months out of the ring before he battered Raphael Zumbeano Love in one round in May this year. Love is nothing special but has been the distance with Shannon Briggs, Andy Ruiz Jnr and went 10 rounds with Charles Martin so it shows Ustinov is still a force. Charr has flirted with top level but losses to Johann Duahaupas and a brutal ko defeat to Cruiserweight champion Meiris Breides looked like the end for Charr. A strong win against previously unbeaten Sefer Seferi 22-1 (20) puts him back in the mix. I fancy Ustinov to be a bit too strong in this one but I will just be happy to see that belt round someones waist.