Mayweather stripped of WBO welterweight title

The World Boxing Organisation (WBO) has stripped Floyd Mayweather Jr. off the welterweight title he won against Manny Pacquiao, after the American pugilist failed to comply with the organisation's rules.

In a statement, the WBO said that its world championship committee was allowed no other alternative but to cease to recognise Mayweather as the WBO welterweight champion of the world and vacate his title for failing to comply with our WBO regulations of world championship contests, the Guardian reported.

The statement further said that WBO had the utmost respect for Mayweather Jr. and all that he has accomplished during his storied career.

According to reports, the American boxer, who still holds WBC and WBA titles, had to pay USD 200,000 worth sanctioning fee from the May 2 fight, for which he earned more than 220 million USD.

However, the WBO rules state that a boxer can only hold belts in one weight class and Mayweather was given time by the organisation to decide which title he wanted to stick with.

Interim WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley will step up to take the belt.