admin
WASHINGTON. – Floyd Mayweather was stripped by the World Boxing Organisation of the welterweight world title he won by beating Manny Pacquiao two months ago.
Mayweather had failed to meet the deadline last Friday for paying the $200 000 sanctioning fee required by the WBO after he took the belt from Pacquiao on May 2 in Las Vegas in the richest fight of all time, earning a reported $220 million in the process.
WBO rules require boxers to pay 3 percent of their purse to fight for a world title up to a maximum of $200 000.
The rules also prohibit WBO champions to hold any belts in any other weight divisions. Mayweather is currently also the WBC and WBA champion at junior middleweight (154lb), as well as at welterweight (147lb).
A statement on the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body’s website confirmed that Mayweather, regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, was no longer the WBO champion.
“Mr Mayweather Jr. failed to pay the $200 000 fee required of him as a participant of a WBO World Championship Contest,” said the statement.
“Despite affording Mr. Mayweather Jr. the courtesy of an extension to advise us of his position within the WBO Welterweight Division and to vacate the two 154-pound world titles he holds, the WBO World Championship Committee received no response from him or his legal representatives on this matter.” – AFP.
Online Reporter