WBC Special Preview: #MakabuJack
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Cruiserweight World Championship
February 26, 2023 / Diriyah, Saudi Arabia / Diriyah Arena
MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS, IN ASSOCIATION WITH QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS AND TOP RANK, PRESENTS:
ILUNGA “Junior” MAKABU (Congo)
WBC Cruiserweight World Champion, 3rd Title defense
Age: 35 / Date of birth: November 8, 1987
Residence: Johannesburg, South Africa / Birthplace: Kananga, Democratic Republic of The Congo
Record: 29-2, 25 KOs / Total rounds: 153 / World championship fights: 3-1, 1 KO
Height: 6’0” – 183cm / Reach: 74” – 188cm / Stance: Left-handed
BADOU JACK “The Ripper”(Gambia/Sweden)
Ranked WBC No. 3 at Cruiserweight
Former WBC Super Middleweight World Champion, 3 Successful Defenses. Former Lt. Heavyweight Champion.
Age: 39 / Date of birth: October 31, 1983
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada / Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Record: 27-3-3, 16 KOs / Total rounds: 208 / World championship fights: 3-1-3, 1 KO
Height: 6’1” – 185cm / Reach: 73” – 185cm / Stance: Right-handed
WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Marvin Camel (US) 1980
2. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) 1980 – 1982
3. S.T. Gordon (US) 1982 – 1983
4. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1983 – 1985
5. Alfonzo Ratliff (US) 1985
6. Bernard Benton (US) 1985 – 1986
7. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1986 – 1988
8. Evander Holyfield (US) 1988
9. Carlos de Leon (P. Rico) * 1989 – 1990
10. Massimiliano Duran (Italy) 1990 – 1991
11. Anaclet Wamba (France) 1991 – 1995
12. Marcelo Dominguez (Arg) 1995 – 1998
13. Juan Carlos Gomez (Cuba) 1998 – 2002
14. Wayne Braithwaite (Guyana) 2002 – 2005
15. Jean-Marc Mormeck (France) 2007
16. O’Neil Bell (US) 2006 – 2007
17. Jean Marc Mormeck (France)* 2007
18. David Haye (UK) 2007 – 2008
19. Giacobbe Fragomeni (Italy) 2008 – 2009
20. Zsolt Erdei (Hungary) 2008 – 2010
21. Krzystof Wlodarczyk (Poland) 2010 – 2014
22. Grigory Drozd (Russia) 2014 – 2015
23. Tony Bellew (UK) 2016 – 2017
24. Mairis Briedis (Latvia) 2017 – 2018
25. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine) 2018 – 2019
26. Ilunga Makubu (Congo) 2020 –
* Regained
WBC TOP 10 CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Evander Holyfield (US)
2. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine)
3. Juan Carlos Gomez (Cuba-Germany)
4. David Haye (GB)
5. Tony Bellew (GB)
6. Mairis Briedis (Latvia)
7. Zsolt Erdei (Hungary)
8. Krzystof Wlodarczyk (Poland)
9. Jean-Marc Mormeck (France)
10. Anaclet Wamba (France)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
75 cruiserweight world championship bouts have been held in the history of the WBC.
22 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only two have regained the title: Carlos de Leon (Puerto Rico) three times, Jean Marc Mormeck (France) one time.
MEMORABLE WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
Jan. 29, 2022 Ilunga Makubu W12 Thabiso Mchunu – Warren, Ohio
Dec. 19, 2020 Ilunga Makabu TKO7 Olanrewaju Durodola – Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of The Congo
Jan. 31, 2020 Ilunga Makubu W12 Michal Cieslak – Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of The Congo
Nov. 10, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk TKO8 Tony Bellew – Manchester, England
July 21, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk W12 Murat Gassiev – Moscow, Russia
Jan. 27, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk W12 Mairis Briedis – Riga, Latvia
Apr. 1, 2017 Mairis Briedis W12 Marco Huck – Westfalenhalle, Germany
May 29, 2016 Tony Bellew TKO3 Ilunga Makabu – Liverpool, England
Sep. 27, 2014 Grigory Drozd W12 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – Moscow, Russia
May 15, 2010 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk TKO8 Giacobbe Fragomeni – Lodz, Poland
Oct. 24, 2008 Giacobbe Fragomeni TW8 Rudolf Kraj – Milan, Italy
Mar. 8, 2008 David Haye TKO2 Enzo Maccarinelli – London, England
Jan. 7, 2006 O’Neil Bell KO10 Jean Marc Mormeck – New York, New York
Apr. 2, 2005 Jean Marc Mormeck W12 Wayne Braithwaite – Worcester, Massachusetts
Oct. 11, 2002 Wayne Braithwaite TKO10 Vincenzo Cantatore – Lombardia, Italy
Feb. 21, 1998 Juan Carlos Gomez W12 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez – Buenos Aires, Argentina
July 25, 1995 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez TKO9 Akim Tafir – Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
July 20, 1991 Anaclet Wamba TKO11 Massimiliano Duran – Palermo, Sicily
July 27, 1990 Massimiliano Duran WDQ11 Carlos DeLeon – Capo d’Orlando, Sicily
May 17, 1989 Carlos DeLeon TKO9 Sammy Reeson – London, England
Apr. 9, 1988 Evander Holyfield TKO8 Carlos DeLeon – Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb. 24, 1982 Carlos DeLeon TKO8 Marvin Camel – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Mar. 31, 1980 Marvin Camel W15 Mate Parlov – Las Vegas, Nevada
Dec. 8, 1979 Marvin Camel D15 Mate Parlov – Split, Croatia
Let it rip! #MakabuJack
By James Blears
Ilunga Junior Makabu (29-2, 25KO`s) defends his World Boxing Council cruiserweight title against Badou Jack (27-3-3, 16KO`s) at the Diriyah Arena, Saudi Arabia on Sunday February 26th.
Badou originally from Sweden, has had a shorter journey to get there as he lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, while Ilunga who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, now resides in South Africa.
This fight is on the undercard of the Jake Paul Vs Tommy Fury event, but it could provide its own fireworks. Both Ilunga and Badou can punch and the fists of cruiserweights are clenched thunder. At thirty nine, there are some mumblings that Badou is getting a little long in the tooth. But as a good friend and a former world champion recently confided to me, it`s the boxer himself/herself, who knows in their heart, fiber and in their very being, when it`s time to retire. Badou has been a world champion at super middleweight and light heavyweight and as such, he`s fought the cream of the crop.
Few expected him to defeat then unbeaten WBC super- middleweight champion Anthony Direll in 2015. But he did, by convincing UD, saying: “I was in great shape and I believed in myself. All the talk doesn`t matter.”
His first defense was against George Groves who he defeated via split decision. Then, a majority draw against Lucian Bute, which was changed to a disqualification win after Lucian tested positive for Ostamine, and a majority draw against IBF champion James DeGale.
Time for growth, with Badou winning the WBA light heavyweight against Nathan Cleverly by fifth round TKO. Nathan who suffered a broken nose, retired after this bout.
Badou proved his mettle in a slugfest with WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson. They fought to a majority draw with Adonis, successfully defending his Green and Gold Belt for the ninth time. Then Badou became Captain courageous losing a UD against Marcus Browne for the WBA Interim title. He suffered a horrendous vertical cut on his forehead, after an accidental clash of heads in the seventh, which poured cascades of blood thereafter, up to and after the twelfth round. Badou insisted: “I`m a warrior. I never quit!” Then another loss by SD to WBA regular champion Jean Pascal.
Badou moved up to cruiserweight. He defeated some rather average fighters including Samuel Crossed by second round KO. His most recent fight was a SD win over Richard Rivera in which he didn`t shine.
The opportunity and occasion of becoming a world champion in three divisions, will provide inspiration and motivation to Badou Jack, who has said: “As long as you`ve got vision and determination, ain`t nothing going to stop you reaching your goals, unless you let yourself get stopped.”
Standing squarely in Badou Jack`s way is sturdy WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Junior Makabu. Ilunga aged thirty five, has also been around for some time. His debut in 2008, was one year before Badou`s pro start. Southpaw Ilunga has been champion since 2020.
Ilunga lost by TKO in his debut to Khayeni Hlungwane and some time after thereafter to Tony Bellew for the vacant WBC Absolute title. He put Tony down in round one with a left hook, but was down himself in round three and lost via third round TKO in the highly charged atmosphere of Goodison Park, Liverpool…Tony`s home turf and that of the “Toffees.”
In building his career Ilunga won the vacant WBC Silver belt in Russia, with a fifth round TKO over Dmitry Kudryashov, successfully defending it with a MD over Alexei Papin. He won the WBC Absolute title with a UD over Michal Cieslak. Michal knocked him down in the fourth. Ilunga returned the favor in the fifth, during a wild night in Kinshasa.
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