Floyd Mayweather Being Stripped Of Belt He Won In Pacquiao Fight.
Today Floyd Mayweather is going to be stripped of his WBO 147 pound championship belt that he won in his fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather, who won the title when he defeated Manny Pacquiao on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the so-called “Fight of the Century,” was required to pay a $200,000 sanction fee by a July 3 deadline in order to keep the belt, which he failed to do.
Mayweather had asked the WBO for an August 1 deadline, according to a resolution by the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body, but the WBO gave him until July 3.
After defeating Manny Pacquiao on May 2, Mayweather said he would relinquish his belt “within a couple weeks” to allow younger fighters a chance to earn a title.
“Other fighters need a chance,” Mayweather was quoted by saying. “Give other fighters a chance. I’m not greedy. I’m a world champion in two different weight classes. It’s time to let other fighters fight for the belt.”
Yet he failed to give up the belt and has since changed his mind about doing so.
The WBO regulations also required that Mayweather must relinquish his 154 pound titles, because it states that “no WBO champion may hold a non-WBO championship in a weight class that is different from his WBO championship,” which is 147 pounds.
Mayweather, 38, has said he will fight for the 49th and final time on September 12, but has yet to name an opponent. It is his last fight of a 6 fight deal with Showtime, and many expect the undefeated, pound for pound best fighter in the world to fight at least one more time after that, to beat Rocky Marciano’s long-standing record of 49-0.
Names that have been mentioned as possible opponents for September 12 include Amir Khan, Andre Berto, Karim Mayfield, Kell Brook, Shawn Porter or possibly even Timothy Bradley.
