what is wbo interim title

An interim title is a temporary world championship that is awarded by the sanctioning bodies of professional boxing, such as WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO. It is an alternate title that is awarded when the current champion is unable to defend their title due to injury or other circumstances. The interim champion is a contender who holds the title until the original champion can return and defend their title against the interim champion. 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. The WBC has begun awarding interim titles to the winners of final eliminator fights, signifying a mandatory challenger position for the full world title. Recently, Joe Joyce won the WBO interim heavyweight world title.