Forget the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt. Defend the World Boxing Council super welterweight crown instead.
WBC president Jose Sulaiman had suggested this to Manny Pacquiao before the Filipino superstar agreed to stake his WBO 147-lb title against Shane Mosley on May 7 in Las Vegas.
Sulaiman, in an interview with the Inquirer yesterday, said that Pacquiao could defend his WBC title against Mosley by fighting at 147 1/3 lb, which would be just 0.33 lb above the welterweight limit.
When Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC super welterweight (154 lb) crown on Nov. 13 in Arlington, Texas, the Mexican outweighed him by 17 lb (165-148).
Admitting that he was sad over Pacquiao’s choice, the 79-year-old Sulaiman said that the WBC constitution “does not accept double champions in different divisions.”
Sulaiman said Pacquiao “must decide to keep the WBC super welterweight title or give it up and keep the other (WBO welter title).”
He said the WBC has always been “very proud of Pacquiao as a WBC champion and a great boxer,” adding that the Filipino became famous when he began fighting for WBC titles.
The WBC honored Pacquiao recently as its “Fighter of the Decade” and the first recepient of “The Diamond Belt,” when he scored a 12th-round TKO over Miguel Cotto in 2009.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao has committed to pay the WBC the $50,000 sanction fee for his fight against Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6, 2008.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz told the Inquirer that “the moment the next payment of pay-per-view money comes in (for the Margarito fight) Manny has authorized me to have it deducted and pay it to the WBC president.”
source: inquirer.net/sports/
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