Shakur Stevenson’s move up to light welterweight has quietly cleared the WBC lightweight title out of circulation, leaving the 135 pound division stalled without an active champion.
The 135 pound division finally has some movement, though it comes after months of unnecessary waiting. Shakur Stevenson’s jump to junior welterweight effectively removed the WBC lightweight title from the map, leaving a weight class once full of momentum sitting in neutral.
Stevenson beat Teofimo Lopez last weekend to grab the WBO title at 140 pounds. That win marked his fourth divisional conquest, yet he never actually said if he planned to come back down to defend his lightweight belt. The WBC’s February 3 ratings update gave the answer fans were looking for. The organization now lists the lightweight championship as vacant.
There was no big announcement or explanation from the WBC. It is still unclear if Stevenson officially vacated the title or if the sanctioning body stripped him based on his move up in weight. The lack of communication mirrors the confusion that has plagued the division for months.
Top contenders spent Stevenson’s 140 pound campaign in a holding pattern. A better approach would have seen the title declared vacant the moment Stevenson signed to fight at a higher weight. By letting him hold onto it, the WBC kept mandatory challengers frozen.
The latest update doesn’t fully fix the mess either. Interim titleholder Jadier Herrera, who stopped Ricardo Nunez in January, was not elevated to full champion. While Herrera’s win cleared up a small part of the rankings, it didn’t solve the leadership void at the top.
William Zepeda now sits at the No. 1 spot. Zepeda is a familiar face in this position, having previously held the interim belt before losing a decision to Stevenson last July. His current ranking is more about Stevenson leaving than a new opportunity being created.
The rest of the WBC lightweight top 15 includes:
- William Zepeda
- Lamont Roach Jr.
- Andy Cruz
- Dzmitry Asanau
- Sam Noakes
- Justin Pauldo
- Ricardo Nunez
- Joe Cordina
- Shu Utsuki
- Bakhodur Usmonov
- Lucas Bahdi
- Jordan White
- Alan Abel Chaves
- Armando Rabi
- Albert Bell
The WBC lightweight title is currently just a name on a list. Whether Stevenson walked away or was pushed, the result is identical. The division is left dealing with the fallout of a long delay that has already sucked the energy out of the 135 pound weight class.
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Last Updated on 02/03/2026
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