The World Boxing Organization has issued an order which directs the winner of tomorrow's fight between WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and challenger Bradn Rios to face mandatory contender Sadam Ali.

An agreement must be reached in ten days or a purse bid will be called, and the fight must be held within ninety days.

WHEREAS, invoking Section 1 (b) (18) of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests, the WBO World Championship Committee sanctioned the June 27, 2015 WBO Interim Welterweight Championship Contest between Timothy Bradley, Jr. and Jessie Vargas, held at the StubHub Center in Carson, California; and,

WHEREAS, the sanctioning of a WBO Interim Championship Contest entailed that, should Mr. Floyd Mayweather Jr., former WBO Welterweight Champion of the World, not comply with the terms and conditions set forth in the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests, the winner of the June 27, 2105 Bradley-Vargas WBO Interim Welterweight Bout would be considered the full holder of the WBO Title; and,

WHEREAS, Timothy Bradley, Jr. was declared winner over Jessie Vargas via 12-round unanimous decision, thus becoming later on the WBO Welterweight Champion of the World; and,

WHEREAS, on August 7, 2015, WBO President Francisco Valcarcel ordered a thirty (30) day negotiation period for the WBO Welterweight Championship between Bradley and WBO Mandatory Challenger Sadam Ali, further advising the parties that they could request a Purse Bid or ask for additional time to negotiate; and,

WHEREAS, on September 18, 2015 Top Rank, on behalf of itself and Champion Bradley, wrote to request that the WBO sanction his upcoming November 7, 2015 bout against WBO #3 Classified Contender Brandon Rios as a defense of his WBO Welterweight Championship of the World, pursuant to Section 5 of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests; and,

WHEREAS, in support of their sanctioning request, Top Rank argued that in accordance to Section 5, Mr. Bradley was permitted to take an “interim, sanctioned defense of his title against a fighter ranked within the top fifteen” and that “Mr. Rios is currently ranked number 3;” and,

WHEREAS, in the alternative, Top Rank asked for confirmation that should this WBO World Championship Committee decide not to sanction Bradley vs. Rios as a defense of the WBO Welterweight Title, that it confirm— pursuant to Section 15 of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests— authorization for Mr. Bradley to compete in the non-championship bout against Mr. Rios, without his participation jeopardizing his status as WBO World Champion; and,

WHEREAS, the WBO World Championship Committee has, per Section 1 (b) (22), the power and discretion to designate a Mandatory Challenger for any category in accordance with the criteria specified in the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests; and,

WHEREAS, this Committee likewise has discretion under its rules to “determine if there is good cause to extend the time during which a Champion must make a Mandatory Challenge” and in conformity with Section 1 (b) (4) (20) to additionally “recommend exceptions or variations from the Rules” as we determine necessary; and,

WHEREAS, there is no disputing that Sadam Ali is the WBO Mandatory Challenger— and is as such entitled to contest the WBO Welterweight Championship of the World— but in the opinion of this Committee also has the skill, pedigree, and ring accomplishment, that have made him utterly deserving of his designation; and,

WHEREAS, the WBO World Championship Committee has waited until this time to express itself and reach a determination on the sanctioning of the Timothy Bradley, Jr. vs. Brandon Rios Welterweight Contest, to allow negotiations pertaining to Mr. Ali to run its due course; and,

WHEREAS, the WBO, and this Committee specifically, has always made it abundantly clear that it reserves the right to protect its Welterweight— and all divisions— from stagnation, requiring that all WBO Participants comply with our Rules and Regulation; and,

WHEREAS, the WBO World Championship Committee— in consideration of Mr. Sadam Ali’s status as the designated Mandatory Challenger— has all along been inclined to grant Mr. Bradley authorization pursuant to Section 15 (a) of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests to participate in a non-championship, 12 round fight, against Mr. Brandon Rios; and,

WHEREAS, following the above referenced August 7, 2015 WBO Order to Negotiate, it is well-known to all in boxing that several scenarios have surfaced— including but not limited to having the winner of the Bradley-Rios bout move up to the Jr. Middleweight division, having Sadam Ali take an interim bout before challenging for the World Title, etc.; and,

WHEREAS, this WBO World Championship Committee is knowledgeable of the negotiations that to this date have taken place between Top Rank, Golden Boy Promotions and all sides involved, particularly of the “step aside” offer made to Mr. Ali—one that he initially refused and later accepted (but was finally withdrawn by the promoter); and,

WHEREAS, the WBO World Championship Committee is further aware of discussions between Golden Boy and Top Rank for a fight between Sadam Ali and Jessie Vargas; and,

WHEREAS, given the particular circumstances— outside the scope of this discussion— but that generally speaking pointed to the possibility that the winner of Bradley-Rios move up in weight and compete in the Jr. Middleweight Division, said fight between Ali and Vargas would have been, by way of exception, for WBO Interim Welterweight Title;

WHEREAS, according to reports, after a date and venue was originally secured for an Ali-Vargas WBO Interim Bout, Ali withdrew because he did not want to fight in the West Coast, and later, after the Vargas side agreed to take a fight with Ali scheduled for the month of December, Vargas pulled out because he was equally uninterested in fighting in the East Coast of the United States; and,

WHEREAS, the WBO World Championship Committee again stresses that it was inclined to grant Mr. Bradley authorization pursuant to Section 15 (a) of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests to participate in a non-championship, 12 round fight, against Mr. Brandon Rios; and,

WHEREAS, due to the undeniably particular circumstances described above and the best interests of the WBO Welterweight division and all of its participants,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the WBO World Championship Committee according to our Regulations that:

    The WBO World Championship Committee, in light of all of the above circumstances, and in the exercise of its power and discretion, decides to sanction the Timothy Bradley, Jr. vs. Brandon Rios November 7, 2015 bout as a defense of Bradley’s WBO Welterweight Championship of the World.

    With Respect to Mandatory Challenger Sadam Ali, the WBO World Championship Committee orders the winner of the Timothy Bradley, Jr. vs. Brandon Rios Championship Contest to reach an agreement for a Mandatory Defense of the title with Mr. Ali within ten (10) days after the fight. Should an agreement not be reached, sides may request a Purse Bid at any time.

    The WBO World Championship Committee orders that the fight between the winner of Bradley-Rios and Sadam Ali take place within ninety (90) days reaching an agreement or the date of the Purse Bid.

    The WBO World Championship Committee also determines that should the winner of Bradley-Rios decide to move up in weight, it will immediately vacate the WBO Welterweight Championship of the World and Mr. Ali will then fight the “Best Classified Contender” available, per WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.

Dated in San Juan, Puerto Rico on this 6th day of November, 2015

By: Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

Chairman
WBO Championship Committee