WBA Mandates Cacace Face Samedov After Ball Fight

Anthony Cacace will have to fight Elnur Samedov on neutral ground after his December 19 super featherweight title defense against Nick Ball in Belfast, per a WBA resolution published this week.

Queensberry Promotions had attempted to bring Samedov to Northern Ireland for a mandatory challenge, but the British Boxing Board of Control blocked the Russian-based fighter from competing in the UK after reviewing his citizenship and residency documentation, according to Bad Left Hook. The rejection forced the sanctioning body to split its championship.

WBA Revives Super Champion Designation

The WBA will designate Cacace as super champion and elevate Samedov from regular to world titlist. Cacace still gets Ball on home soil, but must then meet Samedov at a venue approved by all parties on a date yet to be determined by the WBA Championships Committee.

Cacace beat Jazza Dickens for the belt in March and previously vacated his IBF title rather than face a mandatory. The 37-year-old from Belfast carries a 25-1 record with nine knockouts. Samedov stands 22-1 with 11 stoppages and was born in Azerbaijan but trains and fights out of Russia. Ball holds a 23-1-1 mark with 13 knockouts.

The neutral-site provision adds another wrinkle to a resolution already loaded with contingencies, and Cacace may choose to vacate rather than leave the UK for a smaller fight at the tail end of his career.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — WBA outlines title shenanigans for Anthony Cacace vs Nick Ball