Colombia can have an interim heavyweight world champion

[Akrapovic]

The Colombian Óscar Rivas goes by the fajón of the World Boxing Council against Dillian White.

As if by magic, which only sports leaders understand, Óscar Rivas will become this Saturday the first Colombian boxer to compete in a world heavyweight boxing title. That will put him in the records, but he will stay on the threshold forever if he defeats Dillian White (Jamaica), in the scheduled battle for London for the interim championship in the top flight, according to the World Boxing Council (WBC).

We go in parts about magic. At the beginning of the week, the intention of this writing was to clarify the general confusion that Rivas was the first national to reach a world heavyweight eliminator, as the lawsuit was initially scheduled, that from 4:55 in the afternoon transmits Caracol Television.

Clarification because it was not true. Before, on October 2, 1980, in Las Vegas, a Colombian, Bernardo Mercado, played a world eliminator of that category, against former champion Leon Spinks. And lost in the semiestelar of the program that had as a fight in the background the champion Larry Holmes and the legendary, but already come to less, Muhammad Ali.

Unnecessary eliminatory because Mercado, these days suffering from diabetes and who is uncle-grandfather of footballer Roger Martinez, was the number one challenger, after knocking out in March of that same year the strong puncher Earnie Shavers. Only his dark manager, Joe Conforte, the same involved in the murder of the Argentine Óscar Bonavena outside the famous brothel Mustang Ranch in Reno (Nevada), accepted the confrontation with Leon Spinks.

Let's go to the direct part of magic. The eliminatory fight happened, of a stroke last Wednesday, to interim championship by decision of the CMB. Which was the reason? As far as we know, the American Deontay Wilder, the property champion, has no problem and has announced his defense on September 28th.
These managers ...

This shortening of the titular opportunity for Rivas does not mean that it has no merits. Who says it is outdated. The professional brand of the 32-year-old Valle del Cauca, resident in Montreal -he left with Eléider Álvarez, until last February light heavyweight world king-, speaks for itself: 26-0, with 18 knockouts.

But let's leave those considerations behind. And let's talk about the fight: it's a couple. So much so that the numbers are similar: White, 31, has a record of 25-1, with 18 knockouts. His only defeat was against the Englishman Anthony Joshua, the same one who was recently surprised by the Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr., the new heavyweight champion of the WBA, OMB and FIB. Rivas and Ruiz were at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

As always, Rivas must avoid breaking distance and enter the opponent's guard. His height of 1.84 meters and short arms will be disadvantages to any full weight (in addition, yesterday weighed 14.5 pounds less than White). In the last fight, against Bryant Jenning, he looked explosive. And that is required for his momentous fight this Saturday.