Trainer and former light heavyweight contender John Scully has slammed the WBC for greenlighting a WBC interim light heavyweight title fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

Gvozdyk said terms have been agreed for a fight in June, with many fight fans hoping Benavidez was in the frame to face Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, after he said his May 4 opponent in Las Vegas would be an American.

But WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman this week gave his blessing for super middleweight contender Benavidez to face Gvozdyk in June.

Alongside Marc Ramsay, Scully trains the WBC’s light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, who is slated to face Dimitrii Bivol in June having defended his crowns against Callum Smith in Quebec at the end of January.

Beterbiev brutally ground Gvozdyk down in 2019 in Philadelphia in a fight that saw Gvozdyk hospitalized afterwards.

Scully cannot understand why an interim championship contest is necessary when his fighter is active and gearing up for one of the biggest events of the year, the unification fight in Saudi Arabia.

“Them appointing one of these guys as the interim champion is insanity,” charged Scully. “It is an aspect of boxing I absolutely hate. I think many people don’t even realize that an interim champion is not necessary whatsoever. The real champion is active and ready to go at all times. It is unnecessary and it is wrong.”

Beterbiev is 20-0 with all 20 wins coming by stoppage. He also holds the IBF and WBO titles, while Bivol owns the WBA version.

“The idea that one of these guys is going to call himself a WBC world champion afterwards is insane,” Scully added, talking about the proposed interim bout. “But I refuse to acknowledge them whatsoever. They are absolutely not going to go down in history as a world light heavyweight champion unless they can somehow fight and defeat Artur. I cannot believe anyone in the boxing game would allow this to happen.”

If Benavidez-Gvozdyk happens, Scully believes any recognition of being a champion should not be afforded to them, given Beterbeiev’s standing.

“Let me add that I hope the winner somehow has the honor and the intelligence and is in the grasp of reality to tell people that he will not feel like a real champion until he beats the real champion,” continued Scully. “Otherwise, someone walking around with one of those belts, pretending that they are the only one [champion] is a tragic joke and a slap in the face to our game.”

Sulaiman had taken to X earlier in the week to write: “Very proud to announce a sensational fight. @WBCBoxing has approved to sanction for the interim Lightheavyweight championship Benavidez vs Gvozdyk. Wish the best of luck for both champions.”

Scully fired back on social media: “Artur is WBC champion. PERIOD!!!!! This is a fake made up title. It is a joke. This should not be allowed. Somebody has to step in and STOP this stupidity!!!!! Sorry BUT THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!!!”