With the title vacant, the WBA moved to upgrade Resendiz from interim to full champion. The 28-year-old Mexican earned interim status in May 2025 with a unanimous decision win over Caleb Plant, a result that disrupted the established order at super middleweight and positioned Resendiz as a credible presence in the division’s upper tier.
The upgrade does not alter Resendiz’s immediate schedule. He is already set to defend the belt against Edgar Berlanga on February 21, 2026, in Las Vegas. What changes is the framing. The bout now carries the designation of a full world title defense rather than an interim holding pattern.
The WBA’s update carried a second implication. Bektemir Melikuziev was restored to the No. 1 position in its rankings, placing him directly behind Resendiz and positioning him as the likely mandatory challenger. Melikuziev had previously held that spot before being displaced by Canelo following Crawford’s defeat.
The reshuffling appears less about form than availability. Canelo is recovering from elbow surgery, while Melikuziev remains active and ranked.
Taken together, the responses illustrate a familiar pattern. Crawford’s exit resolved nothing beyond paperwork. Titles have been reassigned, rankings reordered, and obligations outlined. What remains unclear is which of these paths will be enforced, and which will bend to timing and opportunity as the division waits for its next defining fight.
Questions Around Title Legitimacy at Super Middleweight
Reaction to the move has been predictable. Some fans have criticised the WBA’s reliance on administrative promotions rather than in-ring consolidation, questioning how much weight the title carries without a direct championship fight. Others have focused on what the decision unlocks, noting that the super middleweight division remains crowded and commercially driven, with figures like Canelo Alvarez continuing to shape the landscape from above.
For Resendiz, the belt is official. The test ahead is less about paperwork and more about opponents. How the title is viewed will depend on what follows Berlanga, and whether Resendiz is positioned against the division’s defining names rather than protected from them.
Olly Campbell has been covering boxing since 2014, offering readers a clear ringside perspective and thoughtful analysis on many of the sport’s biggest nights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, corner adjustments, and the technical details that shape high-level bouts. Over the years, Olly has reported on major cards in Las Vegas, New York, London, and across the UK boxing circuit, earning a reputation for levelheaded, detail-driven coverage.