After all that, Floyd Mayweather might have got nothing from the ‘Fight of the Century’… except hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mayweather claimed the WBO Welterweight Championship title when he defeated Manny Pacquiao in the most hyped fight in modern boxing history.
However, the man known as ‘Money’ found himself in a spot of bother for not adhering to certain terms he agreed to before taking the fight.
WBO vacates @FloydMayweather’s title for failing to comply with WBO Regulations (sanctioning fees/holding belts in more than one division).
— Jose Izquierdo (@jri2) July 6, 2015
He was supposed to vacate his several other titles before accepting the belt so that younger boxers could have a shot at winning them, and as well as accepting the new belt, he was required to pay the sanctioning body a $200,000 fee by July 3rd.
After somehow missing the deadline, a miraculous feat considering the fee was less than 0.1% of his earnings from the Pacquiao fight, he has been stripped of the WBO Welterweight belt.
In a statement, the World Boxing Organization explained that it had ‘no other alternative’ but to strip the champ of his belt. He is permitted to appeal the decision, though there is no indication as to whether he will take up this option.
(click to enlarge the photo above)
Mayweather will, however, at least receive a commemorative belt following his victory.
Pacquiao won the championship from Timothy Bradley in April 2014, but lost it to Mayweather in May. As the interim title holder, Bradley has been elevated to full title-holder due to Money’s failure to pay the fee.
For those asking, the WBO has the utmost respect for Mr. @FloydMayweather and arrangements have been made for him to receive a belt.
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) July 6, 2015
