Everything you need to know about WBC's Freedom Belt

The WBC has created a new belt called ‘The Freedom Belt’. The strap is to commemorate Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the United States that celebrates the emancipation of slavery.

The belt was set to be on the line for Jermall Charlo’s bout with Maciej Sulecki on June 18 in Houston, Texas. However, the fight was postponed due to Charlo suffering a back injury.

Nevertheless, the World Boxing Council has decided that the belt will be on the line in Jermall Charlo’s next bout with an opponent to be confirmed. The WBC wrote in a post:

"In 2021, the WBC created a special belt: “The Freedom Belt” to commemorate Juneteenth Day, which emacipated slavery in the State of Texas.Juneteenth is annually celebrated as a holiday on June 19th throughout the United States. This emancipation proclamation originated, due to the announcement of General Order number three, by Union Army General Gordon Granger, on June 19th 1865, applying to the State of Texas.The Juneteenth Freedom Belt, is part of the historic celebration for fundamental rights of Emancipation underlining the fact that all children, women and men are born equal."

The concept of the belt was first unveiled last year, once again for a Jermall Charlo bout. Charlo defeated Juan Macias Montiel to become the Freedom Champion. 'The Hitman' Charlo was expected to win the bout handily, and he did just that by winning a comfortable unanimous decision.

The World Boxing Council claimed that the belt would only be a one-time affair but has redesigned the belt for 2022.

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The WBC has often received criticism for creating new belts

In June 2019, the World Boxing Council unveiled the Franchise Championship. The title was first awarded to Canelo Alvarez and meant that Canelo or any Franchise Champion would not have to face a mandatory challenger, giving them special privileges. Canelo did not have to fight for the belt.

Watch Teddy Atlas criticize the franchise belt below:

In 2009, the World Boxing Council created the Diamond Belt, which was awarded to the winner of the bout between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao won the belt but never defended it. The Diamond Belt can be defended, but no mandatory requirement exists to defend it.

The boxing community often looks down upon the new belts. Devin Haney stated that he had no interest in becoming a Franchise Champion in his undisputed bout against George Kambosos Jr.