Boxers stripped of title for refusing to fight someone

[Controversial]

I'll start this one off, Foreman stripped of his WBA title for refusing to fight number one contender Tony Tucker, instead opting to fight the unranked Axel Schulz and then stripped of IBF belt for refusing to give Schulz a rematch after a close MD decision.

[Boxing Prospect]

Couple of recent ones-Moruti Mthalane refused to face Amnat Ruenroeng (leading to Amnat Vs Fuentes for the vacant IBF Flyweight) and then Zolani Tete refused to face McJoe Arroyo (leading to Arroyo Vs Arthur Villanueava for the IBF Super Flyweight title). Both were refused on financial grounds with the purse bids being less than satisfactory for the two South Africans.

[handsofstone]

Both obvious ones are Bowe-Lewis and Spinks-Norton

[witherspoon]

Hagler stripped of the WBA belt for fighting Sugar Ray instead of their contender Herol Graham.

Marvin and Ray only fought for the WBC, the IBF refused to sanction the fight and declared the title vacant when Hagler lost.

Does anybody know their official reasoning?
I'm guessing they justified themselves on the grounds of Leonard's history of eye problems. But I suspect they were motivated by the chance to make more money from sanctioning fees with a more active champion, rather than Hagler or Leonard riding off with their belt and sitting on it for a year or two.

[orbtastic]

Weren't the WBA the last to ditch 15 rounds? I know that 12 rounds is one of the stipulations that Leonard wanted. Quick Google says it was the IBF in '88.

I know the previous 2 fights for Hagler were scheduled for 12 rounds (Hearns and Mugabi) but all 3 agreed on the unified rules when sanctioning.

The last WBA 15 rounder was November of that year.



The WBA stripped Vasquez before his fight with Hamed. I think Norwood was his mandatory.

The IBF stripped Spinks when he signed to fight Cooney instead of Tucker.

[orbtastic]

Surely they objected to Leonard's inactivity and lack of fights at 160? He wouldn't have been anywhere near their rankings.

As for sanctioning fees, they'd have made more for one that fight in '87 than 3 fights in '88.

[witherspoon]

Surely they objected to Leonard's inactivity and lack of fights at 160? He wouldn't have been anywhere near their rankings.

As for sanctioning fees, they'd have made more for one that fight in '87 than 3 fights in '88.

I always assumed that the sanctioning fee was set, not a percentage of purses. But I can't claim to have any insights into how these crooks.operate.

[orbtastic]

Fairly sure it's still the same as it was and depends on the purses of box boxers. It's often why you get people throwing their belts at big fights.

BTW, the IBF also refused to sanction the fight and said if Hagler lost they would declare the title vacant.

I remember when Baldomir fought Judah only the WBC title was at stake. The story at the time was that he didn't want to pay the fees for the WBA or IBF titles, but apparently he says he was never asked by either. Oddly the IBF still chose to recognise Judah after the loss.

[handsofstone]

Remember the whole shennanigans with Martinez-Zbik-Chavez Jr and the WBC and was it HBO?

Zbik was Martinez's mandatory but HBO wouldnt allow Sergio to fight him so WBC stripped Martinez then Jr got to fight Zbik for vacant belt

I might have some of that above paragraph wrong but it was something along they lines,i remember Martinez having bother with the WBC at the time but didnt realise the extent until i watched his movie Maravilla

[sweetsci]

Muhammad Ali for refusing to fight the Viet Cong.

[elmersalsa]

Manos de Piedra refused to fight the great Mike McCallum for a title defense of the WBA Jr. middleweight crown. He chose to fight the great Tommy Hearns

He received $3 million fighting the Hitman than fighting the Body Snatcher for peanuts

[keithmoonhangover]

Remember the whole shennanigans with Martinez-Zbik-Chavez Jr and the WBC and was it HBO?

Zbik was Martinez's mandatory but HBO wouldnt allow Sergio to fight him so WBC stripped Martinez then Jr got to fight Zbik for vacant belt

I might have some of that above paragraph wrong but it was something along they lines,i remember Martinez having bother with the WBC at the time but didnt realise the extent until i watched his movie Maravilla

I liked the documentary, very interesting. Although in fairness, he Martinez did refuse to fight Zbik.

[Rexob]

Bowe, didn't get stripped he just dropped his belt in the bin instead of facing Lewis

[keithmoonhangover]

Bowe, didn't get stripped he just dropped his belt in the bin instead of facing Lewis

Classy move.

[scartissue]

Bowe, didn't get stripped he just dropped his belt in the bin instead of facing Lewis

Lloyd Honeyghan had actually did the same thing a few years earlier than Bowe. He dumped the WBA belt in a trashcan rather than fight their mandated opponent Harold Volbrecht of South Africa. This was in protest of apartheid.

Also, there was Enrique Pinder who was stripped by the WBC for signing to fight Romeo Anaya rather than their #1 contender Rodolfo Martinez.

Wilfredo Benitez for failure to comply with a signed contract to rematch Antonio Cervantes for the WBA 140 belt. Benitez kept stalling and signing for different opponents.

Ken Buchanan for rematching Ismael Laguna. The WBC insisted on him fighting Pedro Carrasco, their #1 contender, but Carrasco said he could no longer make the weight and would be fighting at 140 from now on, so Buchanan signs to fight Laguna. Suddenly, after the contract is signed, Carrasco miraculously can make 135 and the WBC insisted Ken defend against him even though there was a valid contract to fight Laguna.

[Rexob]

Bowe, didn't get stripped he just dropped his belt in the bin instead of facing Lewis

Classy move.

Bottle job if we ever saw one!

[wouter]

Sumbu Kalambay was stripped of the WBA title for fighting Michael Nunn instead of Herol Graham.

[witherspoon]

Herol really brought out the yellow streak in classy fighters
But seriously it just underlines how unlucky Herol Graham was. He was no1 contender to a Hagler who was visibly starting to slow against Mugabi, only for Sugar Ray to jump out of his recliner to grab the opportunity.

And by the time Kalambay was looking to get clocked by an awkward southpaw, Michael Nunn was at the top of the pile.

[wouter]

And by the time Kalambay was looking to get clocked by an awkward southpaw, Michael Nunn was at the top of the pile.

To be fair, Kalambay had already beaten Graham in 1987 and would beat him again in 1992.

[witherspoon]

Yes, he did win the rematch, but I regard that as one of the most badly officiated fights I have ever seen. The referee, Armand Krieff bent over backwards to help Kalambay, even deducting points from Graham twice to negate the two knockdowns Graham scored.

[witherspoon]

And that is in no way a judgement of Kalambay, just the referee.

[Boxing Writer]

Lennox Lewis was stripped of WBA/IBF belts for refusing to fight John Ruiz and Chris Byrd.

[Rexob]

Lennox Lewis was stripped of WBA/IBF belts for refusing to fight John Ruiz and Chris Byrd.

Worst bottle job ever!

[Old bones Ian]

Ali refused to fight some guy called Viet Cong, lost the title.

[Cholo_cws]

Bowe, didn't get stripped he just dropped his belt in the bin instead of facing Lewis

Lloyd Honeyghan had actually did the same thing a few years earlier than Bowe. He dumped the WBA belt in a trashcan rather than fight their mandated opponent Harold Volbrecht of South Africa. This was in protest of apartheid.

Also, there was Enrique Pinder who was stripped by the WBC for signing to fight Romeo Anaya rather than their #1 contender Rodolfo Martinez.

Wilfredo Benitez for failure to comply with a signed contract to rematch Antonio Cervantes for the WBA 140 belt. Benitez kept stalling and signing for different opponents.

Ken Buchanan for rematching Ismael Laguna. The WBC insisted on him fighting Pedro Carrasco, their #1 contender, but Carrasco said he could no longer make the weight and would be fighting at 140 from now on, so Buchanan signs to fight Laguna. Suddenly, after the contract is signed, Carrasco miraculously can make 135 and the WBC insisted Ken defend against him even though there was a valid contract to fight Laguna.

Yes, and if he'd chosen to fight Volbrecht the WBC would have stripped Honeyghan for fighting a South African. Ridiculous.