When the WBC vacated the welterweight and junior middleweight world titles held by recently retired Floyd Mayweather at its annual convention earlier this month in China, it announced that it would hold tournaments involving its top-rated fighters in each weight class to crown new titleholders in both divisions.

Demetrius Andrade, who was recently stripped of another organization’s 154-pound belt due to inactivity, said he wants to participate in the WBC’s tournament.

Andrade (22-0, 15 KOs), whom the organizations ranks No. 3, came off a 16-month layoff on Oct. 17 and knocked out Argentina’s Dario Fabian Pucheta in the second round. Now he’s ready to fight top-tier opponents and hopes to win another world title.

"I'm happy to be rated No. 3 by the WBC and will be honored to participate in its tournament," Andrade said. "Hopefully, [No. 1 Jermell] Charlo and [No. 5 Austin] Trout will agree to fight in the tournament, so everyone will finally know who No. 1 in the 154-pound division is,” said Andrade, a 27-year-old southpaw from Providence, Rhode Island. “I'm ready to prove myself again and I hope they step up to the challenge, too.”

The WBC did not explain the specifics of the tournaments it hopes to set up, including the number of participants.