By James Blears

World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman says that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will stay in place as the welterweight champion until he himself personally confirms his retirement to the sanctioning body.

The Floyd camp has already put out a press statement announcing his retirement in which he’s quoted, but Don Jose insisted: “Floyd Mayweather has not informed the WBC of his retirement from boxing. Therefore the WBC cannot consider him as retired. He will be kept as the welterweight champion of the world until such time when he comes and lets us know that he’s not continuing in boxing.”

Don Jose wants the personal confirmation from Floyd to properly clarify the situation, because: “I believe his retirement and I don’t. I believe it because he’s a multi millionaire, and he’s the best boxer in the world, he’s won all of his fights, he’s won five world championships of the WBC, which are the most respected in the world.

He’s also become a VIP in the world of entertainment. So considering all of these circumstances, he has a reason for retirement.

“But I have a little doubt, because Oscar De La Hoya and his people were negotiating for a fight this year. And perhaps Oscar was negotiating on the premises of wanting to make the same money as the first time, when he made two-thirds, and Floyd made one third. But by retiring, he (Floyd) would make Oscar come back to earth and negotiate much better circumstances with Floyd. That might be one possible ending.”

Editor's Note: If the WBC stays true to their word, it would mean that Andre Berto and Miguel "Mikki" Rodriguez, the highest ranked WBC welterweight contenders who collide on Saturday for the vacant title, would instead box-off for the "interim" title. The winner would also become the mandatory challenger to welterweight title. It really makes no difference because the winner will become the full champion in a few months when Mayweather fails to make the mandatory defense of the title per the WBC rules and regulations. The WBC should strip Mayweather on pure merit. Since winning the title in 2006 from Carlos Baldomir, he's failed to make a single defense of that title against a welterweight ranked by the WBC.