Stevenson defeated Teofimo Lopez at 140 pounds last weekend to win the WBO title. The win marked his fourth division victory, but he has never actually said whether he plans to return to defend his lightweight belt. The WBC’s ratings update for February 3 gave the answers fans have been looking for. The organization now lists the lightweight title as vacant.

The WBC did not issue any major announcements or explanations. It’s unclear if Stevenson has officially vacated the title or if the sanctioning body has stripped him of it due to his weight gain. The lack of communication reflects confusion that has plagued the department for months.

The top contenders in Stevenson’s 140-pound division have been at a standstill. A better approach would be to declare the title vacant when Stevenson signs to fight at a higher weight. By letting him retain the title, the WBC froze the mandatory challenger.

The latest update doesn’t fully resolve the issue either. Interim champion Jadir Herrera stopped Ricardo Nunez in January but was not promoted to official champion. While Herrera’s win clears a small chunk of the standings, it doesn’t resolve a void in top leadership.

William Zepeda is now number one. Zepeda is a familiar face in the position, having held the interim belt before losing to Stevenson last July. His current ranking has more to do with Stevenson’s departure than the creation of new opportunities.

The remaining members of the WBC lightweight top 15 include:

1. William Zepeda
2. Lamont Roach Jr.
3. Andy Cruz
4. Dmitry Assano
5. Sam Knox
6. Justin Paulo
7. Ricardo Nunez
8. Joe Cordina
9. Yu Yuexiu
10. Bahodur Usmonov
11. Lucas Badi
12. Jordan White
13. Ellen Abel Chavez
14. Armando Rabi
15. albert bell

The WBC lightweight title is currently just one name on the roster. Whether Stevenson walks away or is pushed away, the result is the same. The division is facing the consequences of lengthy delays that have drained the energy out of the 135-pound weight class.