The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee notified Cuban boxer Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14KO) that he is the mandatory opponent to fight for the Light Heavyweight Championship, currently held by Russian Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10KO).

Barrera is the first ranked boxer in the WBA ranking at 175 pounds. In 2017 he’s had three fights and has won all of them, two by unanimous decision and one by technical knockout.

The Cuban is granted the right to be a mandatory rival according to article C29 of the WBA Rules. Barrera’s team was duly notified, as well as Bivol’s group. This resolution must be complied with no later than July 22, 2018.

The fight is being discussed for an HBO televised date in March - which is going to be headlined by WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.

The last month of the year will feature three World Boxing Association (WBA) championship fights. Two male bouts and one female bout will be on the international schedules for the end of 2017.

The first fight will be the defense of the Irish Katie Taylor (7-0, 4KO), who will step in the ring on December 13 in London to expose her Lightweight crown against American Jessica McCaskill (5-1, 3KO). For Taylor, it will be the first defense of her title, which she won last October against Anahí Esther Sánchez.

On the other hand, on the 15th, in Thailand, the local Thammanoon Niyomtrong (16-0, 7KO), better known as Knockout Freshmart, will defend his WBA Minimumweight championship against the Filipino Toto Landero (10-1-2, 2KO). The Thai will make the fourth defense of his belt in his country and looks to keep his unbeaten record intact.

Finally, on New Year’s Eve, the Light Flyweight Champion, Ryoichi Taguchi (26-2-2, 12KO), will try to close the year in a good way on December 31 against Filipino Milan Melindo (37-2, 13KO) in a very interesting fight that will take place in Tokyo, the birthplace of the champion.