The World Boxing Association (WBA) decided to take the championship belt in the cruiserweight of the Ukrainian Oleksander Usyk and to give it to the Russian Denis Lebedev. The reason was that Usyk refused to defend his title and changed the weight category.
Lebedev was the WBA champion, but could not compete in the World Boxing Super Series and was stripped of the belt, receiving the status of "champion in recess." Since Lebedev was supposed to fight Usyk, he was automatically given the WBA championship belt.
The last time Lebedev entered the ring in November last year, beating American Mike Wilson by decision.
