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By Rick Reeno
Last week, Tony Morgan, who trains unbeaten welterweight prospect Andre Berto, had an interview with The Ledger and told the paper that Berto's WBC eliminator with "Mikki" Angel Rodriguez of Mexico, scheduled for June 21, would become a title fight for the vacant WBC belt. He said the current champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr, was planning to vacate the title rather than defend it.
Our correspondent in Mexico, James Blears, made contact with WBC president Jose Sulaiman to obtain additional information on the matter. Sulaiman said he was unaware of any plans by Mayweather to vacate their welterweight title.
Berto's promoter Lou DiBella told MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com that he did not hear anything about Mayweather planning to vacate in the immediate future.
The fight with Berto (ranked at 1) and Rodriguez (ranked at 2) is still scheduled to be a WBC eliminator to set a mandatory challenger to Mayweather's title. According to DiBella, the fight has the possibility of having the WBC "interim" welterweight title at stake.
"What may happen is the WBC will make the winner the interim-champion and then Mayweather would have to fight the winner. I think it depends on what Mayweather does (for the WBC to strip him). I think they are waiting to see if his fight with Oscar De La Hoya is at 147 or 150," DiBella said.
Mayweather's negotiations to finalize a deal for a September rematch with De La Hoya are still ongoing. Based on every recent interview with De La Hoya, the fight will be contested at a catch-weight of 150-pounds.
Several sources believe the WBC will put the hammer on Mayweather by the end of the year. Since winning the welterweight title from Carlos Baldomir in November 2006, Mayweather has not made a single defense against a welterweight contender ranked by the WBC. He made his first and only defense of the title against Ricky Hatton (a junior-welterweight) last December.
Mayweather will probably vacate the title once the WBC sends him a mandate to fight the winner of Berto-Rodriguez.
Last week, Tony Morgan, who trains unbeaten welterweight prospect Andre Berto, had an interview with The Ledger and told the paper that Berto's WBC eliminator with "Mikki" Angel Rodriguez of Mexico, scheduled for June 21, would become a title fight for the vacant WBC belt. He said the current champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr, was planning to vacate the title rather than defend it.
Our correspondent in Mexico, James Blears, made contact with WBC president Jose Sulaiman to obtain additional information on the matter. Sulaiman said he was unaware of any plans by Mayweather to vacate their welterweight title.
Berto's promoter Lou DiBella told MaxBoxing/BoxingScene.com that he did not hear anything about Mayweather planning to vacate in the immediate future.
The fight with Berto (ranked at 1) and Rodriguez (ranked at 2) is still scheduled to be a WBC eliminator to set a mandatory challenger to Mayweather's title. According to DiBella, the fight has the possibility of having the WBC "interim" welterweight title at stake.
"What may happen is the WBC will make the winner the interim-champion and then Mayweather would have to fight the winner. I think it depends on what Mayweather does (for the WBC to strip him). I think they are waiting to see if his fight with Oscar De La Hoya is at 147 or 150," DiBella said.
Mayweather's negotiations to finalize a deal for a September rematch with De La Hoya are still ongoing. Based on every recent interview with De La Hoya, the fight will be contested at a catch-weight of 150-pounds.
Several sources believe the WBC will put the hammer on Mayweather by the end of the year. Since winning the welterweight title from Carlos Baldomir in November 2006, Mayweather has not made a single defense against a welterweight contender ranked by the WBC. He made his first and only defense of the title against Ricky Hatton (a junior-welterweight) last December.
Mayweather will probably vacate the title once the WBC sends him a mandate to fight the winner of Berto-Rodriguez.
