By Miguel Rivera
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (48-0, 26KOs) will have until Friday to decide once and for all whether or not he intends to remain as the welterweight champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Mayweather captured the title on May 2 from Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather holds the WBC/WBA titles at welterweight, but he also holds the WBC/WBA titles at junior middleweights But the WBO rules clearly state that a fighter can not hold world titles in multiple weight divisions. To remain the WBO champion at 147, Mayweather must vacate his WBC/WBA titles at 154 - which he hasn't defended since September of 2013.
Mayweather still owes a $200,000 sanctioning fee from the Pacquiao fight. If he fails to meet the terms, then Timothy Bradley would become the full champion. Bradley captured the WBO's interim-title last Saturday night with win over Jessie Vargas.
"Our rule is clear, and it says that he can not be our champion at 147 pounds and be a champion in another division," said WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel to Carlos Narvaez.
"So we have given Mayweather Jr. until July 3 to meet the requirements, that he can not be the champion of another sanctioning body in another division, and also he has to pay the sanctioning fee $200 thousand."