British welterweight Amir Khan has been placed in the mandatory position for the vacant WBC title, which will be held by a new champion later this month.
Khan has held a high ranking with the governing body since making the move to 147lbs, and despite not competing since May, the Bolton fighter has been rewarded for wins over Luis Collazo, Devon Alexander and Chris Algieri.
If Khan opts to pursue a title shot with the WBC, he will face the winner of the bout between Danny Garcia, to whom he lost at super-lightweight in 2012, and Robert Guerrero.
The announcement by the WBC could scupper a high-profile British showdown between Khan and IBF title holder Kell Brook, with a date of June 4 at Wembley Stadium currently reserved for the pair should they come to terms.
Khan is yet to make a decision on his plans for 2016, but come the summer, he will be involved in a fight for a world title.
