In a fight for the vacant WBC International middleweight title, Steven Butler (27-1-1, 23 KOs) won a ten round split decision over Vitalii Kopylenko (28-2, 16 KOs).   Kopylenko dropped Butler in round eight with a body shot, but Butler prevailed on two cards 96-93, 96-93.    Kopylenko was up 95-94 on the third card.   GBP promoted.

 

Why the title was vacant:

Mark Hefforn (GB) was stopped in ten rounds by Liam Williams last December 22  in Manchester.   At stake only the British title.   The WBC International title was not at stake.   In compliance with the WBC governing rules, Mark Hefforn was automatically stripped of his WBC International Middleweight title.

 

Former WBC International champions in this divison

mark hefforn   GB

Karim Achour,   France

Craig Cunningham,   Great Britain

Tom Doran,   Wales

Jorge Sebastián Heiland,   Argentina

Nick Brinson,   USA

Joachim Alcine,   Haiti-Canada

David Lemieux,   Canada

Dmitry Pirog,   Russia

Domenico Spada,   Italy

Mahir Oral,   Germany Turkey

James Obedi Toney,   Ghana

Glenn Catley,   Great Britain

Robert Allen,   USA

Silvio Branco,   Italy

Cristian Sanavia,   Italy

Juan Carlos Gimenez,   Paraguay

Morrade Hakkar,   France

Erlande Betare,   France

Chris Pyatt,   Great Britain

Miguel Angél Arroyo,   Argentina

Andras Galfi,   Hungary

Alì Ennebati,   France

Aslanbeck Kodzoev,   Russia

Jorge Amparo,   Dominican  Republic

Chris Eubank Sr.   Great Britain

Hugo A. Corti,   Argentina

Kid Milo,   Great Britain

Rubén Dario Cabral,   Argentina

Antonio Perugino,   Italy

William Gare,   South Africa

Jerry Elliott,   Nigeria

Sergey Tatevosyan,   Russia