Sources close to the information have informed us that interim WBA jr. middleweight champion Erislandy Lara has been elevated to full WBA jr. middleweight champion status. The news means that Lara's upcoming May 2 clash with former jr. middleweight champion Ishe Smith will be for the WBA "regular" jr. middleweight title.
For those that may be confused, undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd "Money" Mayweather is the current reigning WBA "super" jr. middleweight champion. Because he also holds the WBC jr. middleweight title, Mayweather was elevated to that status after capturing the WBA "regular" title from Miguel Cotto back in May of 2012. The WBA "regular" title then changed hands from Austin Trout to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez before finding it's way back to Mayweather, who was still the WBA "super" jr. middleweight champion, back in September of 2013.
Meanwhile, as all that took place, Lara was named interim WBA jr. middleweight champion after defeating Alfredo Angulo back in June of 2013. He successfully defending his interim title against Austin Trout in December of 2013, and now the WBA has decided to name Lara their "regular" jr. middleweight champion.
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