Days after The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO junior bantamweight champion Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez vacated his titles ahead of his scheduled bantamweight debut Saturday against Antonio Vargas, the WBA announced today that David Jimenez has been elevated from his interim title to the full crown.

Jimenez (18-1, 12 KOs), a 34-year-old from Costa Rica, has held the interim title since beating John "Scrappy" Ramirez (17-1, 9 KOs) by unanimous decision in April 2024.

It appears Jimenez and Ramirez are headed for a rematch.

The WBA said in a statement: "The Championships Committee also named John Ramírez as the division’s mandatory challenger. As a result, negotiations must begin for a world title showdown between Jimenez and Ramirez. The conditions and deadlines governing the mandatory championship bout will be announced in the coming days in accordance with the WBA’s internal regulations."