Petch upset, wants his title shot
The vacant WBC bantamweight title was set to be awarded to the winner of the bout between Petch Sor Chitpattana (46-0, 31KOs) of Thailand and Frenchman Nordine Oubaali (14-0, 11KOs) on June 23 in Paris but on June 7 the WBC announced that the fight had been delayed “until further notice.”
The reason behind the delay was the French network’s failure to come up with the funds necessary to stage the bout, placing Oubaali’s promoter Jerome Abiteboul of Ringstar into a corner.
The implications were especially maddening as there had been only one spot left in the coveted bantamweight World Boxing Super Series tournament with the winner of the contest potentially filling the final vacancy and bringing with them the fourth and final alphabet title.
However, it has since been confirmed that Mikhail Aloyan will be the final piece of the puzzle for the single elimination tournament.
Concerning the bantamweight situation, the WBC stated in its midyear report that the organisation was “in support of the WBSS [but had] yet to determine the following steps [for inclusion].”
Recently I was in Mexico City and asked WBC officials at their headquarters to elaborate on their stance and was told that: “It’s all about money. That’s what professional boxing is all about. First we have to get our own champion, not one from the boxing series. There’s always the chance that the winner could enter the tournament but it would depend on many things — including money and TV date — if the organisers are interested, and if the fighters themselves want to participate.”
I contacted Petch’s promoter Piyarat Vachirarattanawong and asked him for an update. He told me that he hadn’t heard “anything [lately] from the WBC. I’m very surprised.”
Piyarat added that he hadn’t been contacted by the WBSS but that he’s interested in having the Oubaali bout with his fighter staged in the tournament.
He said Petch was frustrated by his long awaited title shot.
“He’s very upset. The contract has already been signed but the French side cancelled the fight. We sent a letter requesting a purse bid but everything is quiet. The WBC doesn’t follow its own rules and thinks about business too much.”
The fight, whenever and wherever it is eventually staged, has big implications for the winner beyond just becoming champion.
For Petch, it means continuing the momentum of the Thai boxing narrative that has embraced WBC super-flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
Oubaali would be a much needed arrow in the quiver for Ringstar that’s trying to establish itself as it builds off the name Tony Yoka, France’s heavyweight champion at the 2016 Olympics.
While the Petch v Oubaali fight won’t be a part of the WBSS, the match-up will settle the score for the hardest of hardcore fans looking to see two more exciting fighters in the hot bantamweight division.
Because Ringstar and their network affiliates aren’t yet able to come up with what the WBC needs most — money — Petch and his promoter Piyarat hope the WBC answers their call for a purse bid soon so that the fight can be officially made.