WBC Will Strip Pacquiao's 154 Pound Belt

The WBC doesn't always make sense. But since Pacman won't defend that 154 pound strap (above), the sanctioning body will declare the belt vacant. Saul Alvarez has taken a fast track to the No. 1 ranking, while Alfredo Angulo is No. 2.The WBC is in the process of declaring vacant the super welterweight championship, which is currently held by Manny Pacquiao, if the voting of the WBC Board of Governors returns a 2/3 vote in favor. Pacquiao has expressed that he does not want to defend the title and prefers not to fight in that weight division in the future. Rule 1.24 b) gives double-division champions 15 days to decide which title they want to relinquish. The WBC, as a courtesy, waited 87 days after Pacquiao’s fight against Antonio Margarito.

The rule has always been respected in the past by double champions, like the recent WBC Emeritus champion Sergio Martínez, as well as Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, Wilfred Benitez, Alexis Argüello, Terry Norris, and so many others after winning their second championship in different weight divisions.

The WBC, after knowing the result of the voting, will present a program to fill the vacancy of such an important WBC title that has been held by some of the greatest fighters in history, like Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Tommy Hearns, Terry Norris, and of course, Manny Pacquiao, who will always be treated with respect, pride, and honor, as we have always done for all of the other historical WBC champions in the super welterweight division .

Manny Pacquiao, from the Philippines, which was one of the founding countries of the WBC  which stands as tall as a tower, has had an outstanding career as a WBC champion for 12 long years, first winning the WBC flyweight world title on November 4, 1998, in Thailand. He also won world titles at super featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and won the super welterweight title on November 13, 2010 – 12 years with five of the premier WBC titles. He is also the only fighter in the 49-year history of the WBC to ever win its absolute highest title – the Diamond Belt, which is only given to the greatest fighters of our time.

Manny Pacquiao also had 12 championship fights of the WBC International title in his career, as well as two of the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) title. The OPBF was also one of the founders of the WBC.

Manny Pacquiao will be always remembered as one of the greatest champions of the many legends that the WBC has had, like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chávez, Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Carlos Monzon, Wilfredo Gómez, Alexis Argüello, Salvador Sánchez, José Nápoles, Flash Elorde, Vitali Klitschko, among many other greats that have written their names with golden letters in the history of WBC boxing, at their times, which Manny will also leave, without a doubt, when he retires.

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