Galal Yafai will now face the newly WBC-WBA unified flyweight champion Ricardo Sandoval, following a decision to cancel the previously ordered rematch with Francisco Rodriguez Jr.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has today announced the decision made by the WBC to cancel the order for a rematch between interim flyweight champion Galal Yafai and Francisco Rodriguez Jr. Instead, opting for the newly unfified WBC-WBA champion Ricardo Sandoval to defend his titles against the Brit.
Yafai and Rodriguez Jr had initially took to the ring in June 2025, which marked the first professional defeat for Yafai as the judges scored the fight unanimously in favour of the Mexican, who became the new interim champion. However, in the aftermath of the Rodriguez Jr tested positive for heptaminol (a banned cardiac stimulant), which led to the fight being officially registered as a no-contest and Rodriguez placed on a 12-month WBC probation.
The interim title was reverted back to Yafai, with a rematch ordered between the two. It appears that since then, the WBC have reassessed the position and ordered a seeminly more plausible fight against Ricardo Sandoval.