The oldies are the best when it comes to youth titles

French light welterweight prospect Ali Chebah lost his WBC Youth title to Reyes Sanchez at the end of September. He dropped to 27-1(22) as a result.

But last night, he captured the same, now vacant, title. So in the space of 5 weeks, Sanchez 13-2(8) has either been stripped or has given up the title. Given Reyes is rated at leightweight and is WBC Continental Americas champion at that weight, it is probable that his future, and his title, lie at 135lb.

If this is the case though, why was he brought in as a challenger for the 140lb youth title? If it was known he would vacate if he won, why put him in for it? Why not just make Chebah/Sanchez a non-title fight? Of course, it’s about the business – the promotor can use the title as a marketing tool; the WBC gets some dosh in order to keep the electric metre running, and pay some researchers to come up with new titles begining with “FEC”.

But, as with most things in boxing these days, it’s the fans that lose out. The Sanchez fans watched their man win a title he was not going to keep. Thus the title is meaningless for him, making the title aspect of the fight rather farcical.

Anyway, the title is back safely in the gloves of Chebah now. He beat Pipino Cuevas Jr last night, who is 29 years old. In his last fight Cuevas won the WBC Latino superfeatherweight title, against an opponent who had no record on the boxrec database going into the fight. If Pipino wasn’t the guy to bring meaning and prestige to the WBC Youth title last night, I don’t know who was.