Floyd Mayweather Jr. Stripped Of WBO Title After Failing To Pay Sanction Fee?

American boxer, Floyd Mayweather has been stripped of his WBO title following his failure to pay the sanction fee of $200,000.

Mayweather failed to pay the $200,000 sanction fee required by the World Boxing Organization for the belt he won on May 2 when he defeated Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas by the deadline, which was the end of the business day on Friday. So on Monday, the Puerto Rico-based organization stripped Mayweather of its title.

The development elevated Timothy Bradley, who defeated Jessie Vargas on June 27 for the interim championship, to full champion status.


WBO rules require boxers to pay 3 percent of their purse in order to fight for a world title, with a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $200,000 for fighters like Mayweather who earn extraordinary large purses.

Normally, fighters are required to pay the sanction fee on the night of the fight, and it's deducted from their purse. But Mayweather, who has had a long history with the WBC, wasn't sure he wanted the WBO title. As a result, the WBO gave Mayweather time.

Even though sanctioning bodies are routinely perceived as the ones at fault in situations like this, the WBO conducted itself honorably. It worked with Mayweather to find an acceptable solution, put the requirements in writing and then yanked the belt from Mayweather when he failed to comply.