A boxing organization has found a new reason to take away a fighter’s title.
He wanted to give his championship belt to his father.
After Ricardo Lopez won the World Boxing Organization’s strawweight title with a technical knockout of his opponent in August, the new champion said he wanted to give his championship belt to his father, who is a boxing fan.
His statement made to Mexican newspapers prompted the WBO to take away Lopez’s title and sanction a fight to fill the vacancy.
“It was enough for us,” said WBO President Francisco Valcarcel. “That’s a public resignation.”
Eric Jamili won the vacated title Friday night by stopping Mickey Cantwell in the eighth round at the London Arena–a bout that shouldn’t have taken place, said Lopez’s agent, Dwight Manley.
“He got no letter, he got no telephone call,” Manley said.
Manley said Lopez should have a hearing before the WBO takes away his title. Valcarcel said there’s no reason to arbitrate the matter.
“Ricardo Lopez is playing politics with me and his manager is playing politics with me,” Valcarcel said.
While the strawweight division–fighters weighing 105 pounds or less–is a relatively unknown boxing classification, Lopez is one of the most accomplished fighters in the sport.
He’s 46-0 as a professional and is believed to be one of three fighters to make at least 20 consecutive title defenses in the same weight class. He’s made 20 defenses since taking the World Boxing Council strawweight title in October 1990.
Only Joe Louis, who made 25 defenses from 1937-48, and Larry Holmes, who had 20 from 1978-85–both heavyweights–have had as many as Lopez.
“I’ve never, never, never, heard of anything like this,” Manley said.
