By Rick Reeno
Promoter Ahmet Oner of Arena Box Promotions is not exactly placing his faith on a recently issued order from the World Boxing Council. Oner's fighter, Selcuk Aydin (23-0, 17KOs), is the WBC's silver champion and the mandatory challenger to full beltholder Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Aydin won a WBC title eliminator in July of 2009. He then won the silver title, which the WBC considers their interim-belt, in June of 2010 with a twelve round split decision over Jo Jo Dan. Last month, he fought Dan in a rematch ordered by the WBC. He broke Dan's jaw and dropped him twice before winning a twelve round decision.
At the WBC convention in Las Vegas, the sanctioning body issued an order that requires Mayweather to defend his title against Aydin - if Mayweather is unable to finalize a deal to fight Manny Pacquiao on May 5th.
Oner is well aware that an order from the WBC means absolutely nothing to Mayweather. If a deal to fight Pacquiao falls through, then Mayweather will make his own decision as to the May 5th opponent.
"We spoke to Jose Sulaiman of the WBC and Selcuk is the mandatory, there is no doubt. But, Floyd Mayweather is forced by nobody, so everybody is trying to find a solution. And I can understand this a little bit because of Floyd's marketing power, HBO pay-per-views and everything. But our guy is the mandatory challenger, so we need to fight one guy now for the WBC title or fight someone on American television to make the next fight bigger, with someone like Mayweather. Aydin wants to fight the world champion," Oner told BoxingScene.com.
