The number of recognized titlists in the sport is set to dramatically decrease.

Making good on its promise of continued reform, the World Boxing Association (WBA) will no longer crown nor recognize “interim” champions within its organization save for extreme circumstances. The order was handed down Wednesday afternoon, less than two weeks after recalling any previously scheduled interim title fight.

“The Championships Committee decided that all Interim Championship titles are withdrawn with immediate effect,” Carlos Chavez, chairman of the WBA Championship Committee informed all sanctioning bodies members via official resolution, a copy of which has been obtained by BoxingScene.com. “With immediate effect, the now former Interim Champions shall not defend their respective Championships as such anymore.

“At the discretion of the President and the Championships Committee, the Championship Committee will consider the former Interim Champions as leading contender to the World Champion of the Association, either to challenge for the Championship as Official Challenger directly, or, as the case may be, to participate in an elimination bout of Box-off to determine the Official Challenger in their respective division. WBA Rule C.33 shall expressively be applicable.”

The sanctioning body will begin to go through all affected divisions in the coming days, with the intention of reclassifying interim titlists as mandatory contenders. Those who refuse to participate in ordered title fights and consolidation bouts will be demoted or removed from the rankings altogether.

The process to phase out the interim title in present form began August 14, one week after the controversial WBA interim welterweight title fight between Gabriel Maestre and Mykal Fox. The August 7 bout—which aired live in primetime on Fox from The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota—saw Venezuela's Maestre (4-0, 3KOs) claim a highly questionable twelve-round, split decision in a bout where Fox (22-3, 5KOs) scored a knockdown and appeared to dominate in the eyes of most viewers both in attendance and watching on television.

Judges Gloria Martinez-Rizzo (117-110), John Mariano (115-112) and David Singh (114-113) clearly had a different take on the fight, all scoring unanimously in favor of Maestre who at the time was declared the new interim titlist. The belt has since been vacated by the WBA upon ordering a rematch that initially came at the insistence of King’s Promotion, Fox’s promoter.

The request was since withdrawn, with Fox opting to move in a different direction rather than proceed with lesser stakes versus an opponent he beat every way but officially. An appeal of the outcome was filed with the Minnesota Office of Combative Sports by Fox’s team, with the matter still under review. Representatives from the Minnesota commission have yet to respond to multiple requests from BoxingScene.com seeking comment.

Meanwhile, the WBA remains on course in a vow to clean up its act.

The sanctioning body—which prior to August 14 had proudly recognized “Super”, “World”, “interim” and “Gold” champions all within a given weight division—has ordered a series of title consolidation bouts in addition to sanctioning being removed from previously approved interim title fight. The first bout to feel the effect was a bantamweight clash between Gary Antonio Russell and Emmanuel Rodriguez, with the August 14 clash reclassified as a title eliminator after previously carrying the vacant interim title at stake.

It became a moot point, as the bout ended after just sixteen seconds of action due to a clash of heads. The fight came on the same night that Guillermo Rigondeaux was removed as WBA “World” bantamweight titlist upon entering the ring in a bid to challenge WBO title claimant John Riel Casimero. Rigondeaux dropped a twelve-round decision, with his old title remaining vacant and with no such plans to fill the slot in the foreseeable future as Naoya Inoue (21-0, 18KOs) is the recognized WBA “Super” champion at the weight, along with owning the IBF bantamweight title.

While the current interim titlists will eventually move into the number-one mandatory challenger position—at such weights where one hasn’t already been named—they will not be immediately subject to the rules surrounding bout limitations. That process will be reviewed, as the WBA will need to determine which mandatories can be enforced—presumably at weights where title consolidation fights are not already ordered and where multiple titlists aren’t ahead of the number-one contender.

“Once appointed as Official Challenger, the boxer may be permitted to participate in other bouts subject to the approval of the Championship Committee prior to the timeline pursuant to WBA rule C.13 (“Bout Limitation”) and the resolution for the specific weight class,” notes Chavez.

Plans are not in place to phase out the “Gold” title, although clarification has been offered on how it should be recognized and regarded—specifically in the same vein as a regional title. Existing Gold titleholders will be removed from the championship section of current rankings and instead listed as high as number-two among the Top 15 contenders

“The reigning Gold Champions will not be listed anymore ‘above the rankings’; they will however occupy a ranking position from the next monthly World ranking onwards,” clarifies Chavez. “He will be rated right below the former Interim Champion, and/or the Official Challenger. The Gold Champion may be ordered to participate in elimination bouts or box-offs at the discretion of the President and the Championships Committee, based on the status of the divisions.

“Gold Champions and regional champions, who are not mandated to challenge for a World Championship or to participate in an elimination bout or box-off by the Championship Committee, may be permitted to participate in title defenses subject to the approval of the Championship Committee prior to the timeline pursuant to WBA rule C.13 (“Bout Limitation”) and the resolution for the specific weight class. The Championship Committee, however, may still order mandatory defenses of the Gold Championship or regional championship.”

Separate resolutions for each weight division are expected in the coming days. Updated policies regarding “Super” champions—including how they are crowned—are also due in the foreseeable future.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox