The World Boxing Council has officially demoted Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KO’s) to WBC “Emeritus” welterweight and super welterweight champion.
The WBC met for their annual convention, held from Nov. 1 – Nov. 7 in Kunming, China, and wasted no time in making the call.
This is not the first time the WBC has had to make such a decision. After suffering a severe knee injury in preparation for a canceled title bout against Hasim Rahman in 2005, Vitali Klitschko was appointed “Champion Emeritus,” not once, but twice.
The boxer-turned politician was also appointed the same title in December 2013 following his second retirement.
Mayweather scored a unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto on Sept. 12 to score his 49th consecutive victory but did not officially vacate the titles, which gave a majority of boxing fans the impression that he was not truly ready to hang up the gloves.
However, Mayweather has come back to fight again following a retirement on multiple occasions, so that possibility is still in the air. But for now, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, the titles are officially up for grabs.
“The titles are vacated. He [Mayweather is Emeritus champion,” Sulaiman stated via ESPN Deportes. “It’s official. We gave him time to make this official presentation here at the Convention.
“We are proud to do it this way. He is a champion for eternity with the WBC and he knows this is his family. We are celebrating one of the greatest.
“If he leaves and comes back; it is secondary, I would not want to speculate,” he added.
With Mayweather no longer the champion, the top two ranked fighters will be allowed to fight for the vacant titles if they choose to do so.
The WBC has ranked WBC Silver welterweight champion Amir Khan and former unified super-lightweight champion Danny Garcia No. 1 and No. 2 respectively at 147-pounds.
As for the super welterweight division, No. 1 and No. 2 include undefeated Jermell Charlo and John Jackson.
Following his dominant victory over former world champion Joachim Alcine on Saturday on PBC on Bounce TV, Charlo called out Jackson for a possible clash in December, so this could work out for both guys.
– Ryan O’Hara @OHaraSports
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