By James Blears

The World Boxing Council has ruled that Edgar Sosa, who was severely injured by the headbutt of challenger Rodel Mayol, is now the Emeritus Champion and when he’s recovered he can either fight Rodel Mayol in a rematch for the WBC junior flyweight title or directly contest for the WBC flyweight title.

In a packed press conference in Mexico City, WBC President Jose Sulaiman said that Edgar had suffered a triple fracture to the cheekbone affecting the orbit of the eye, the nose and his cheek. The three hour operation he’s undergone has placed two titanium plates with screws holding them in his face, and he’ll be out of action for at least six months.

Don Jose explained that the referee had ruled it an unintentional headbutt, and he docked a point from Mayol, after the ring doctor declared Sosa fit to continue. So the criteria was set by on the spot officials. He added to BoxingScene.com: “There were mistakes yes. It seems the proof presented is that it was an intentional headbutt, and the referee called it unintentional. It was a serious blatant headbutt.

“But the WBC could not do anything else. We must follow the rules. To compensate this injustice The WBC thought of Sosa’s eleven title defenses of having continuously gone to visit hospitals for sick children and of being a great modest, humble exemplary citizen, to proclaim him as Emeritus Champion.

“The WBC does not have in its rules a modification of a decision, once the local commission has given it. If we changed that rule, it would be chaos. A boxing match in which the ring officials and the doctor behave in accordance to the rules must be respected. If the doctor or the referee did wrong, then this is a matter of the WBC contacting and putting those people under notice that they should improve, including giving them some clinics and training.”

Viewing the instant replay on the night Don Jose said it was difficult because: “I saw Mayol threw the right hand and also went with the head down directly to the face of the fighter. So we don’t know if it was because of his style or because it was intentional. It looks intentional, because his head went directly from almost a yard, but at the same time, you could see his right hand was at the same distance as the head.”

Don Jose says he doesn’t believe it was done with deliberate intention, but he also exclaimed: “It was reckless, it was horrible and it was extremely damaging, he created a tremendous fracture that will keep him (Edgar) away for a long, long time.”

Edgar’s Promoter Dr Fausto Daniel Garcia says he has no doubt whatsoever that the headbutt was indeed intentional and that the injuries it’s caused are very serious. He described the Emeritus Championship a way to console the pain of losing the title. He also confirms that he doesn’t want Edgar to fight Mayol again for the same thing to happen. He favors going for the higher division flyweight title against : “an honest, ordinary and clean fighter- the Japanese Champion.”