On 14 September 2026, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Complaints and Grievances Committee issued its final decision in the case of Aram Faniian v. Ignacio Iribarren. Following consideration of Aram Faniian’s appeal, he was officially recognized as the reigning WBO Global Champion in the super lightweight division.
The legal strategy and representation of the athlete’s team in the international proceedings were handled by the lawyers of L.I.Group, led by the firm’s Senior Partner, attorney Mykola Kovalchuk.
Background to the Dispute
On 4 April 2026, a title bout between Aram Faniian and Ignacio Iribarren took place in Ukraine.
Before the disputed incident, Faniian was leading on all three judges’ scorecards. After nine rounds, the scores were 87–83, 88–82 and 88–82 in favor of the Ukrainian boxer.
In the tenth round, following an illegal punch to the back of the head, Iribarren went down to the canvas, after which the bout was stopped.
The referee ruled the foul intentional and disqualified Faniian. As a result, the title formally passed to his opponent in the ring.
Faniian’s team challenged the legal consequences of that result.
Comprehensive Legal Strategy
The L.I.Group team did not build its case around denying that a rules violation had occurred. Instead, the key issue was whether the consequence imposed by the referee was proportionate to the nature of the violation and consistent with the actual medical circumstances.
The legal team analyzed:
- the official video recording of the bout;
- the judges’ scorecards;
- the WBO Rules and the Unified Rules of Professional Boxing;
- the ringside physicians’ examination materials;
- emergency and post-fight medical records;
- materials issued by the competent Ukrainian sports regulatory body;
- WBO procedural practice in disputes involving contested results of title bouts.
Decision of the Ukrainian Governing Body
The National League of Professional Boxing of Ukraine conducted its own review of the bout materials.
As a result, the original outcome — Iribarren’s victory by disqualification of Faniian — was overturned, and the bout was declared a No Contest, meaning that no winner was officially determined.
The jurisdiction of the competent local sports authority became an important element in the subsequent consideration of the case by the WBO.
Key Finding of the WBO
The WBO Committee determined that the competent Ukrainian governing body had the authority to amend the official result of the bout.
At the same time, the WBO had to determine the consequences of that decision for the WBO Global title.
The Committee concluded that:
- if the bout result was changed to a No Contest, Faniian was no longer officially considered the losing boxer;
- if Faniian did not lose the bout, he did not lose his title in that contest;
- accordingly, the WBO recognizes Aram Faniian as the reigning WBO Global Champion.
Medical Evidence
The assessment of the medical evidence also played a significant role in the case.
The WBO Committee agreed with the findings of the Ukrainian regulatory body that Iribarren’s documented condition did not establish an injury of such severity that would objectively require the immediate termination of the bout by way of the opponent’s disqualification.
The Committee took into account the assessment of the ringside physicians, Iribarren’s preserved consciousness, and other medical indicators contained in the case materials.
On this basis, the Committee reached an important conclusion: under the established circumstances, the appropriate sanction for the foul should have been a two-point deduction from Faniian, rather than disqualification.
This was one of the key legal arguments advanced by the team and ultimately supported by the Committee.
Final Award
On 14 September 2026, the WBO Complaints and Grievances Committee ruled to:
- partially grant Faniian’s appeal;
- recognize Aram Faniian as the reigning WBO Global Champion in the super lightweight division;
- recommend an immediate rematch between Faniian and Iribarren.
The decision constitutes the final determination on the merits of the appeal within the WBO’s internal procedure.
What Comes Next
Faniian’s team confirmed that he is ready to fulfill all obligations associated with his status as the reigning WBO Global Champion.
The athlete is prepared to take part in the recommended rematch against Ignacio Iribarren.
Should Iribarren decline the rematch or should the bout prove impossible to arrange, Faniian’s team is prepared to propose other qualified opponents to the WBO for a subsequent title defense.
Comment from L.I.Group
“This case is a clear example of the fact that, in international sports law, outcomes are determined not by emotion, but by precise legal qualification, evidence and procedural discipline.
We did not seek to dispute the obvious facts. Our task was to demonstrate that there was a fundamental legal inconsistency between the rules violation and the sanction imposed by the referee.
The WBO’s final decision confirmed the validity of this approach and restored Aram Faniian’s championship status.”
— Mykola Kovalchuk, Attorney-at-Law, Senior Partner at L.I.Group