WBC Interim Title Fight Moves Lester Martinez One Win From Mbilli–Canelo Winner

Interim Sanction Changes Martinez’s Position

Martinez has been waiting for movement since his majority draw against Mbilli in September. He delivered a competitive performance against the unbeaten contender but did not secure a rematch. Mbilli advanced into full champion status instead, leaving Martinez outside the immediate title sequence.

Thursday’s sanction restores that forward motion. Martinez now controls his own entry point into the next phase of the division.

Aleem enters ranked #14 by the WBC, returning to a level he has not occupied in several years. His most notable appearance against a contender came in May 2019, when he fought Matt Korobov to a 10-round majority draw after an initial scoring error briefly awarded Korobov the decision. The corrected result did not establish Aleem as a forward-moving challenger.

His results since then have reflected intermittent progress. Aleem has gone 4-2-1 following the Korobov bout, with losses to Ronald Ellis and Amilcar Vidal Jr. interrupting his advancement. His victories during that stretch came against opposition outside the championship tier, and his name did not re-enter serious title discussions.

The interim sanction changes his placement inside the WBC structure. Martinez now has a direct route into the championship sequence, while Aleem receives an opportunity to reenter relevance at the same level.

Interim Belt Holder Moves Into Next Title Slot

Mbilli’s expected fight against Alvarez determines what comes next. The interim belt holder will occupy the next available challenger position once that bout is completed, regardless of who emerges as champion.

Martinez, 30, now stands one fight away from that opportunity.