From WBC President Jose Sulaiman:

“Due to the fact that the WBC heavyweight champion of the world, Oleg Maskaev of Russia, has refused, through his representative, to sign the contract to fight mandatory challenger Samuel Peter of Nigeria, the President of the African Boxing Union, Houcine Houichi, has sent a recommendation for the WBC to not only continue in court on the case presented by the champion’s representative, but to also unfreeze the heavweight championship by immediately ordering an interim heavyweight world championship between Samuel Peter and the highest rated available contender in the WBC ratings, according to the WBC rules and regulations, while the court case by Maskaev’s representative is resolved.”