Ermal Hadribeaj

Bio

Ermal Hadribeaj is the new WBC super welterweight mandatory challenger. The Belgian-Albanian outpointed Bakary Samake over twelve in Oberhausen on May 23 2026 — scores of 116-112 and 115-113 twice — to win the official WBC 154-pound final eliminator and book a date with champion Sebastian Fundora.

Hadribeaj is the awkward, veteran-savvy spoiler that big-name champions hate facing. He's not a knockout artist — 8 KOs in 23 wins tells that story — but he's a problem solver in the ring. He pressed Samake from rounds seven to twelve with clinch work and counter rights up the middle, took the back end of the fight cleanly, and now has the mandatory shot at Fundora.

At 31 with 23-0-1 on the CV, Hadribeaj is on the precipice of his first world title shot at his first big-stage fight. Whether Fundora engages the mandatory immediately or vacates the WBC strap is now the WBC's call. Either way, the Albanian Eagle has earned the chance.