Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez was feted in a ceremony at the WBO's Puerto Rican headquarters on May 11, when he was presented with his new title belt. Those good feelings did not last long. Martinez, who took apart Kelly Pavlik to win a unanimous decision and the lineal championship on April 17, has been stripped of his WBO version of the 160-pound title. In a letter Saturday to Martinez and his handlers, WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcárcel informed him of the sanctioning organization's decision. "I learned a while ago that these organizations don't give you a belt," Martinez said. "They loan it to you. When they elect to take it back, they take it back. I thank them for the opportunity to win it and to hold it, but there is nothing I can do about it if they want to take it back. They can match whoever they want below me [for the vacant belt], but in my view, that winner can't truly call himself a champion." http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=5238745
I can only hope MMA doesn't get this kind of nonsense. I understand that if you don't intend to defend the belt in a timely fashion they can take it back--but there are just too many sanctioning bodies and too many belts. That is the root of the problem.
I never have liked the idea of stripping someone of their title. They did all of the right things to get the title, then a federation can take it away? WTF?
It is common to vacate if you change weight class. Martinez moved up to take a title at another weight class and the WBO wants to crown a new champion if Martinez intends on staying up. Other than doping/legal trouble this is pretty much the only other way the title gets taken back, other than retirement I suppose.
