WBO, WBA threaten to pull titles from Benavidez–Ramirez fight

A dispute over a ceremonial belt has put the sanctioning of the May 2 cruiserweight fight between David Benavidez and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in doubt.

The WBO and WBA are prepared to withdraw their sanctioning from the Las Vegas bout after the WBC introduced a special belt tied to the Cinco de Mayo event, BoxingScene reported Thursday.

The issue centers on the WBC’s unveiling of a commemorative “Tollan Tlatequi” belt during a ceremony in Mexico this week involving Benavidez and Ramirez. The belt is not the official WBC cruiserweight title, which is currently held by Noel Mikaelian, but its introduction appears to have angered the two sanctioning bodies whose championships are actually involved in the fight.

Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) holds the WBA cruiserweight title and is scheduled to defend it while also fighting for the WBO belt against Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) in the planned unification bout.

Officials with the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association reportedly discussed the situation after the ceremony. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri and WBA president Gilberto Mendoza plan to send letters to promoters at Golden Boy Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions regarding the dispute.

Their position is straightforward. If the WBC’s commemorative belt remains attached to the fight promotion, the WBO and WBA could refuse to allow their titles to be contested.

The disagreement highlights the often territorial nature of boxing’s sanctioning bodies. Each organization typically wants its title fights presented as its own events, and outside involvement from rival bodies can trigger disputes.

The situation also arises during a stretch involving sanctioning organizations. The World Boxing Council recently removed its lightweight title from Shakur Stevenson after he pursued another belt without paying WBC sanctioning fees. Earlier this week, the IBF declined to sanction a cruiserweight fight involving Jai Opetaia due to the presence of a Zuffa Boxing championship belt on the same card.

The Benavidez–Ramirez fight remains scheduled for May 2 in Las Vegas. Whether the WBO and WBA titles will still be on the line could depend on how promoters handle the WBC’s ceremonial belt.