Patrick Teixeira and Golden Boy Promotions are officially on the clock.
An overdue mandatory title defense versus Argentina’s Brian Castano has forced the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to intervene, this time calling for firm plans on a fight nearly a full year in the making. Golden Boy now has until November 5 to inform all involved parties of when the title bout will officially take place before the matter defaults back to a purse bid hearing.
“There is no doubt that WBO Participants Teixeira and Castano are bound by the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests,” Luis Batista-Salas,” chairman of the WBO Championship Committee stated in seven-page resolution issued to all parties, a copy of which has been obtained by BoxingSCcene.com. “It is an uncontested fact that Golden Boy Promotions, as the official bout promoter, must secure a bout and T.V. date, place, and venue; furthermore, as the promoter of WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion Teixeira, they are exclusively responsible for arranging, coordinating, and producing said fighter in the United States of America, the jurisdiction where the bout will be staged.
“To date, such assurances have not been met, and there is no certainty as to when will Teixeira’s visa issues will be resolved and be allowed entry to comply as ordered with the WBO Jr. Middleweight Mandatory Championship Contest against Castano.”
The matter became a concern of the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body after nearly six months had passed by since the originally scheduled April 25 date fell through due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Tom Brown, head of TGB Promotions whom represents Castano called for Teixeira to be stripped of his title in an email submitted to the WBO on October 15, due to failure to secure a rescheduled fight date for a bout that was ordered last December at the sanctioning body’s annual convention.
Golden Boy representatives revealed the dilemma of Teixeira presently being unable to leave his native Brazil due to ongoing COVID-related travel issues around the world. The sanctioning body was sympathetic to a point, though not to where Castano should have to wait any longer than necessary for his overdue crack at the 154-pound crown.
“[T]his Committee agrees with TGB Promotion’s argument to the extent that Castano currently is immersed in an uncertain state due to Teixeira’s pending visa issues, which to date, are still unsettled by the corresponding U.S. and national security government agencies,” notes Batista-Salas. “Nonetheless, we cannot acquiesce the petition that Teixeira be designated as WBO Champion in “Recess” because such designation is non-existent in our rules and is contrary to our institutional policies.
“However, this Committee is cognizant that the ongoing uncertainty cannot be indefinite and therefore, we must enforce our rules and regulations still within the current circumstances and always procuring to protect the rights and interests of all WBO Participants, including Teixeira, Castano, and the WBO Jr. Middleweight Division. As we stressed in our previous rulings, “A World Championship is not the property of any boxer. The Championship is a trust, subject to the conditions defined herein, for the use and benefit of all boxers and boxing fans, who, through their contribution of time, effort, risks and resources sustain the existence of the profession.”
Added Batista-Salas: “We are aware of the circumstances concerning the Covid-19 pandemic and its implications. Likewise, there is no dispute as to the involuntary cancellation of Teixeira’s visa appointment in the U.S. Embassy in Brazil as evidenced to this Committee. Nevertheless, the current state and circumstances are untenable. Wherefore, this Committee must take affirmative action and remedy the situation by issuing a fair and reasonable resolution whereby all relevant parties’ rights and interests are protected as well as the remaining WBO contenders in the Jr. Middleweight Division.
“Having evaluated the totality of the circumstances surrounding the present controversy, having examined our governing rules and regulations and their applicability, we are granting Golden Boy Promotions and Team Teixeira a final term to resolve the issues at hand, or a purse bid procedure will be called accordingly. This Committee reserves its right to issue any further determinations deemed deem necessary, helpful, and convenient to accomplish the purposes, policies, and best interests of the World Boxing Organization and its members, including but not limited to any ruling to keep active the WBO Jr. Middleweight Division.”
The final resolution orders Golden Boy to issue via certified letter the official bout date, location and venue for the fight within 10 days upon receipt of the ruling. Failure to do so will result in a purse bid hearing to be scheduled on or around November 16, which will be made available to all WBO-registered promoters.
Golden Boy also has the right to appeal the decision within 14 days, although such matters rarely if ever result in a reversal. Sources have informed BoxingScene.com that the fight is being eyed for a planned December 5 DAZN-USA card headlined by lightweights Ryan Garcia (20-0, 17KOs) and Luke Campbell (20-3, 16KOs).
Teixeira (33-1, 22KOs) claimed an interim version of the title last November 30, outpointing unbeaten Carlos Adames in a bout to determine either the next potential challenger for then-WBO champ Jaime Munguia or to receive an upgrade to full title status. The latter occurred less than a week later for Teixeira, who was ordered at that point to next face Castano in his first title defense.
Castano (16-0-1, 12KOs) has not fought since last November 2, scoring a 5th round stoppage of Wale Omotoso in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The bout was his first since being forced to vacate a secondary WBA 154-pound title due to a financial dispute ahead of his canceled rematch with Michel Soro.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
