The World Boxing Organization stripped pound-for-pound megastar Floyd Mayweather Jr. off the welterweight belt he won from Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao during the lackluster “Fight of the Century” on May 2.
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The World Boxing Organisation has ceased to recognise Floyd Mayweather as its welterweight world champion after he failed to pay the governing body a mandatory $200,000 (€182,000) sanction fee.
For Mayweather, this decision will do little to impact his legacy or star power.
“This is the final decision of the WBO World Championship Committee”. The fighter let the deadline pass without complying to any of the rules.
Floyd Mayweather still hasn’t relinquished his titles as promised, but one sanctioning organization is taking matters into its own hands.
In a post-fight press conference, Mayweather had initially said he would give up his belts to give younger fighters an opportunity, telling gathered journalists: “I’m not trying to be greedy”.
Boxers are not allowed to hold world titles in multiple weight classes, but the WBC and WBA had been breaking their rules. I’ll talk to my team and see what we need to do. When Mayweather caught wind of the news, he became raging, and asked reporters how he could be stripped of a belt he never actually received. However, he is still in possession of the WBC World and the WBA Super World welterweight title, along with his light-middleweight titles, which he hasn’t defended since beating Canelo Alvarez in September 2013.
Reuters reports that he has two weeks to file an appeal.
Bradley is the WBO interim welterweight champion after his unanimous decision victory over Jessie Vargas on June 27.
Forbes reported that Mayweather is 2015’s highest-paid athlete, earning $300 million.
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Since he failed to follow up on that decree, the WBO took action.
