The WBC stripped lineal champion Miguel Cotto of his middleweight belt Tuesday (Nov. 17), just four days before his megafight against former champ Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.
While he remains the lineal champion, the belt was stripped from the boxing star for failing to comply with the WBC's rules and regulations, reports ESPN.
Source say Cotto refused to pay the WBC a $300,000 sanctioning fee to have the title on the line.
"The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez," the WBC said in a statement. "The WBC is proud of that accomplishment that is giving boxing fans around the world a very important fight to see. After several weeks of communications, countless attempts and good faith time extensions trying to preserve the fight as a WBC world championship, Miguel Cotto and his promotion [Roc Nation Sports] did not agree to comply with the WBC rules and regulations, while Saul Alvarez has agreed to do so. Accordingly, the WBC must rule on the matter prior to the fight.
"The WBC hereby announces that effective immediately, it has withdrawn recognition of Miguel Cotto as WBC world middleweight champion."
Additionally, the WBC announced that if Alvarez wins Saturday's fight, he will claim the vacant WBC belt. If Cotto wins he will remain lineal champion, but WBC interim titleholder Gennady Golovkin will be elevated to full WBC titlist.
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