Mayweather likely to be stripped of WBO title

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Floyd MayweatherFloyd Mayweather Jr. (48-0, 26 KO’s) missed Friday’s deadline to comply with the WBO’s condition to retain his WBO welterweight title, according to ESPN’s Dan Rafael. As a result, it is being reported the WBO will move to strip Mayweather of the title on Monday.

Mayweather also missed the initial June 1 deadline imposed by WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel, but one of Mayweather’s lawyers, Atty. John R. Hornewer, wrote a letter to the WBO in which he stated:

“For Mr. Mayweather to pick up the paper and read that another promotional company has announced that it is staging a bout for the same WBO title that Mr. Mayweather won in the ring, currently holds and has not relinquished, was extremely disappointing for him and his team.”

The WBO caved to Team Mayweather’s demands and gave him until Friday to make a decision. Again, the WBO did not receive an answer.

Mayweather earned the title by defeating Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision on May 2, a fight in which he still owes a $200,000 sanctioning fee from the fight, this despite making at least $220 million for the fight itself, according to ESPN.

Once Mayweather is stripped, Timothy Bradley, who defeated Jessie Vargas last Saturday by unanimous decision, will be promoted to “World” champion instead of “Interim” champion, as he is right now.

The WBO rules say that a fighter cannot hold world titles in multiple weight divisions. To keep the WBO title, Mayweather must vacate his WBC/WBA light-middleweight titles – which he hasn’t defended since thoroughly dominating Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September 2013.

He has two possible fights at 154 that he may take for his final fight in September, including a rematch with Canelo, which the popular Mexican superstar has called for, and a fight against middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin.