The WBC International Championship explained
In the lovely city of Aruba during the 1986 WBC Annual Convention, the WBC International title was created.
An innovative idea promoted by the life President Don José Sulaimán, who appointed Antonio Sciarra as President of the International Committee. This constituted a new opportunity for those boxers who yearn to be recognised and, in the future, dispute the absolute WBC World Championship.
With this new International championship mandate in force, on December 10, 1986, at the Hua Mark Indoor stadium in Bangkok in Thailand, the Mexican Raul Valdez fought local Rocky Chitalada with the WBC International bantamweight title at stake, which he conquered by KO in the fourth round of a scheduled 12.
In the more than 30 ensuing years, this championship has been contested in thousands of boxing venues as a prelude to the world championship.
The International WBC title has been the window of opportunity for many fighters who possibly would not be on top of success today if it were not for this prestigious title. And for the ones that didn't manage to go on to achieve full world honours, such as the aforementioned Valdez, who lost the belt in his first defence and retired soon after, they can still proudly look upon a famous green and gold belt in their trophy cabinet for the rest of time.
The World Boxing Council stated, "We want to congratulate the chairman Mauro Betti, who since taking office in 1994 has worked tirelessly around the world giving and instilling the prestige and importance that the WBC International championship deserves."
WBC International Champions
Heavyweight: Zhan Kossobutskiy
Cruiserweight: Yamil Alberto Peralta
Light-Heavyweight: Vacant
Super-Middleweight: Ivan Zucco
Middleweight: Felix Cash
Super-Welterweight: Ermal Hadribeaj
Welterweight: Omar Juarez
Super-Lightweight: Pierce O'Leary
Lightweight: Artem Harutyunyan
Super-Featherweight: Jadier Herrera
Featherweight: Louie Lynn
Super-Bantamweight: Liam Davies
Bantamweight: Vincent Astrolabio
Super-Flyweight: David Cuellar Contreras
Flyweight: Gamal Yafai
