Beat Nathaniel Collins, Cristobal Lorente is now the WBC Featherweight World Champion Challenger

JAKARTA - The World Boxing Council (WBC) declared Cristobal Lorente as the mandatory challenger for the WBC featherweight (56.4 kg) world title after winning the WBC Silver title by defeating Nathaniel Collins in Glasgow, Scotland.

"Lorente officially positioned himself on the path to the opportunity to win the world title in the 126-pound class," the WBC said in its official website which was monitored in Jakarta, Saturday.

After their first meeting ended in a draw in October 2025, the two boxers returned to the ring with the determination to leave no doubt.

Lorente, who showed a clear improvement in technique and excellent physical condition, managed to implement his approach in a tactical battle throughout the match.

One of the key moments came in the sixth round, when Collins managed to knock down Lorente. Despite falling to the canvas, the Spanish boxer recovered well, adjusted his strategy, and remained competitive in the following rounds.

After 12 rounds of tense action and momentum shifts, the judges' scorecards reflected the tightness and intensity of the fight. Two judges gave scores of 115-112 and 115-112 for Lorente, and 116-111 for Collins.

Lorente, who put in one of the best performances of his career, won the fight by split decision to bring the WBC Silver belt to Spain.

The victory also kept Lorente undefeated with a record of 21 wins, including eight wins by knockout (KO), and three draws.

The WBC explained that the fight not only put the belt on the line, but also served as an official eliminator that brought the winner closer to the opportunity to compete for the full world champion title.

Meanwhile, for Collins, the result marked a setback in a tight fight where he had strong moments, including knocking down his opponent, but ultimately lost on the judges' scorecards.

The Scottish boxer lost the opportunity to win the world title and had to add a stain to his previously unbeaten record of 17 wins (eight knockouts), one defeat, and one draw.