The WBC have made Galal Yafai the mandatory challenger to unified flyweight world champion Ricardo Sandoval amid an ongoing anti-doping scandal.
Birmingham’s Yafai was beaten by Francisco Rodriguez Jr in June in Birmingham before the Mexican failed a drug test on fight night.
The WBC initially stated Rodriguez was not guilty of intentionally doping and ordered an immediate rematch with Yafai.
It then emerged Rodriguez had also failed a drug test in December in Texas, testing positive for THC, the primary compound in cannabis.
He was given a 90-day suspension and neither the WBC or Yafai’s team were aware of the incident before the fight in June.
Yafai’s promoter Eddie Hearn publicly lobbied for the WBC to change its ruling as the fight was ruled a no-contest.
WBC president Mauricio Suliaman on Thursday confirmed to the Ring Magazine, external the sanctioning body had changed its mind and installed Yafai as the mandatory challenger.
The test was conducted on fight night and administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada), as part of the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program.
Any fighter in the top 15 of the WBC’s rankings must register for drug testing and Yafai v Rodriguez was for the sanctioning body’s interim flyweight title.
The British Boxing Board of Control is yet to make a decision on any suspension for Rodriguez.
