Hasim Rahman will be declared World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, filling the void left by the retirement of Vitali Klitschko, the WBC said on Thursday.

Rahman received the majority of votes from the organisation's board of governors and would be declared champion as soon as all the ballots had been counted, the WBC said on its Web site.

Klitschko was forced to pull out of his WBC title defense against Rahman, set for November 12, after injuring his right knee while sparring in Los Angeles.

The 34-year-old Ukrainian had twice pulled out of fights with Rahman earlier this year because of thigh and back problems. His latest injury had left him under threat of being stripped of the title.

Baltimore native Rahman has already worn the WBC championship belt, knocking out Lennox Lewis in the fifth round in 2001 in Johannesburg.

He lost the title in the rematch, when he was knocked out by Lewis in Las Vegas [Images] later that same year.