Joyce-Stiverne upgraded to WBA eliminator

There is apparently a WBA “gold” belt involved

The WBA heavyweight title situation remains profoundly stupid.

With Manuel Charr-Fres Oquendo finally off the table, perhaps for good this time, “regular” champ Charr’s next mandatory opponent will be decided by this Saturday’s bout between Joe Joyce and Bermane Stiverne. This is despite there being, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone who doesn’t get off on sanctioning fees, an “interim” champion in Trevor Bryan.

Joyce (7-0, 7 KO) had made noise about fighting Luis Ortiz, which would have been a perfectly fine eliminator, but trainer Abel Sanchez put the kibosh on that until Joyce could rack up some more experience. Instead, Stiverne (25-3-1, 20 KO) is one fight away from a title shot despite his only win since 2014 coming against Derric Rossy.

And he got dropped in that fight.

Of course, this being the WBA, there’s no indication that this will lead to anything at all as they continue to manage their champions with the Whose Line method. I, for one, can’t wait for Trevor Bryan vs. Anthony Joshua.