By Rey Danseco

THE WBC stripped Balweg “Hitman” Bangoyan (13-0, 7 KOs) of their International super bantamweight title for failure of defend it with in a required time.

From Voelklingen, Saarland, Germany, WBC International championship chairman Mauro Betti told this sports editor of one of the Philippines’ leading newspaper, Bagong Tiktik (Spy), and a licensed WBC judge from Manila, that the title in 122 pounds is now vacant.

 “Once I am back home, I will declare Balweg’s title officially vacant due to a long inactivity layoff,” said Betti, who is a proud native of Rome, Italy.

“I am sorry for Balweg, but his long lay off must have a reason and a title cannot be frozen up like this.”

The unbeaten 22-year old Filipino dethroned Kenya’s Sande Otieno with fifth round technical decision win on Oct. 11, 2008 in Davao City in southern Philippines.

Bangoyan’s handler, Mayor Zander Khan (Alex Wangkay) of Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur in southern Philippines planned the title defense in March in the Philippines, May in Las Vegas and June 27, but none of those scheduled dates happened.

“Mayor Zander reported to me that a fight could happen next July in Hawaii for Balweg but I was then told that Balweg will not come back before the end of next August. That is too much for a title,” said Betti, who got a support from WBC vice president Eric Buhain of the Philippines, to strip the WBC No. 16 Bangoyan.

“Mayor (Zander Khan) will understand as he has been in the business for decades.  He tried but these are the rules we all follow,” Buhain told Betti.