Cotto vs. Clottey "Unification" Under Mandatory Threat

[Arsekicker]

These organizations are run by crooks. And short of government action I don't know how they can be stopped. Obviously it is in their interest to not have a unified champion. They probably make more money that way. And the problem is they don't care weather their champion is a known fighter or not. If top champions ignore the belts there will always be some other fighter who who love to have a belt just because it gives them leverage to get fights. It a ****ing mafia is what it is. Bastards.

[taino78]

the ibf could have the mandatory made after cotto/clottey fight. the wba did it for urkal when he was a mandatory for the title when quintana and cotto met for it.

[OnePunch]

I spoke to a few people. The story is 100% accurate. From waht I was made to understand, the IBF gave Top Rank a certain amount of time to get Cotto Clottey done. It wasn't done in the specified time period set by the IBF, so they enforced their mandatory rule on Clottey. I know Clottey signed off for Cotto a while ago. Cotto only agreed to the terms last week and I'm not even sure if he signed the actual contract yet. When the IBF sent a letter on March 30, then Top Rank sent in their unification request and the IBF says 'it's too late for that now.'

Now THAT makes sense, but I didnt catch that part in the original story. Once notice of the mandatory requirement has been sent out, then all bets are off.

[Osirus022]

but isn't it supposed to be his promoter that gets him fights. If he had a mandatory, why didn't his promoter make a fight for him. Countless times a new champion has fights against opponent who are not their mandatories. Pavlik is 1 that comes to mind, even berto fought collazo and i don't think he was mandatory either.


But bottom line is that the promoter's job is to get his fighters fights. Clottey just wasn't sittin on his a$$, he has been wanting a fight for awhile now and arum has paid him no mind!

co-sign!!!!!!!!!

[Miburo]

The IBF is really a joke lately, maybe the worst of the soup titles.

[Dave Rado]

This story is not 100% accurate. IBF rules ALLOW a unification bout to take priority over a mandatory defense. All you have to do is submit a request. Perhaps that hasnt been done by the promoter yet. In the IBF rules, Chapter 5.E (Unification Contests) Paragraph 2 CLEARLY states:

"For the purpose of unification of titles, the Champions of the WBA, WBC, and WBO may be designated as "elite contenders" and may be permitted to fight for the unified title. Any unification bout, if approved by the Championships Committee, will take priority over the mandatory. Despite the general prohibition in Rules 5.a.2 (b); B.2;, and D.1. (a) above, the Champion may box a WBC, WBA, or WBO Champion within 60 (60) days of the mandatory due date."


And for those that are saying the IBF stripped Margarito for fighting Mosley, that is not true. Margarito vacated the IBF title because Arum had already promised Clottey an IBF title shot. Margarito was not stripped, he voluntarily vacated at Arum's request ($$$).

Odd that Arum hasn't submitted a request then - he has a legal background and should know the score.

[The Great Shark]

Whatever. Let Clottey do his thing and fight Cotto, better than some worthless belt.

[Easy-E]

BoxingScene.com has learned that the IBF is pushing for Joshua Clottey to make a mandatory defense of his welterweight title against the highest available challenger, which is number 3 rated Isaac Hlatshwayo. Clottey has already signed to fight WBO champion Miguel Cotto on June 13 at New York's Madison Square Garden. The IBF sent a letter to Top Rank [promoters of Clottey and Cotto] on March 30, which gave them and Branco Milenkovic, promoter for Hlatshwayo, until April 30 to reach a deal or the fight will head to a purse bid. [details]

Pathetic. No reason this Hlatshwayo should be getting in the ring with either of these guys. The IBF, for whatever ludicrious reason, does not want to be part of a unified championship. They want to be able to control their paper champ and manipulate them. This is one of the reasons a larger body needs to assume control of this pathetic belt. The only hope is that the fighters, promoters and other belts will come out and no longer consider the IBF a major belt, as they have consistently been the worst sanctioning body in boxing.

[Dave Rado]

The IBF is really a joke lately, maybe the worst of the soup titles.

No, the WBA is the worst, by far.

[Albert Maximo]

Mamones

Chorros de CABROOOOOOONEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS,HIJOS DE PUTA