what is interim heavyweight champion

An interim heavyweight champion is a temporary title awarded by a sanctioning body or promotion in combat sports such as boxing, kickboxing, professional wrestling, and mixed martial arts. It is awarded when the original champion is unable to defend their title due to injury, suspension, or other circumstances. The interim champion holds a belt that looks identical to the full championship belt. Once the original champion is able to return, they must defend their title against the interim champion, who will relinquish their interim title to fight for the full world title. If the original champion cannot return, refuses to defend their title, or transfers to a different weight division, the interim champion is promoted to full championship status.