Dmitry Bivol (pictured) won the WBA regular light heavyweight championship in May 21, 2016 when he defeated Felix Valera by unanimous decision in Moscow.  At the time, Sergey Kovalev was the WBA super champion. eventually, Bivol became the WBA champion when Kovalev's conqueror, Andre Ward, retired.  Bivol successfully defended his title on seven occasions, and holds a professional record listed at 16-0, although really 19-0 because he had three pro fights in the World Series of Boxing. Today, the WBA announced that [despite never unifying the title] Bivol is now a WBA super champion "based upon his significant accomplishments to date and dominance of the division." One effect of this promotion is that Bivol's mandatory defense period is extended by from 9 months to eighteen months.  Bivol fights a soft opponent, Lennin Castillo, this weekend. Meanwhile, the WBA interim champion, Jean Pascal, has been correspondingly elevated to WBA regular champion.  Pascal, a former world champion himself, lost to Bivol in 2018 but rebounded with a big win over Marcus Browne. Note: Pascal is advised by Boxingtalk publisher Greg Leon.