BoxRec

Middleweight contender Avtandil Khurtsidze will not appeal the WBO's decision this week to bypass him as the mandatory challenger for world titleholder Billy Joe Saunders. Instead, the WBO gave the mandatory position to superstar Canelo Alvarez.

Khurtsidze was in the mandatory position and Saunders, who won the title in December 2015, did not defend it until earlier this month in an optional defense against Artur Akavov. WBO rules give a world titleholder nine months to make a mandatory defense, and Saunders was overdue.

On Dec. 8, Khurtsidze promoter Lou DiBella wrote to the organization, pressing the case for the WBO to order Khurtsidze against Saunders. Two days later, Golden Boy Promotions, Alvarez's promoter, also wrote to the WBO and asked it to appoint Alvarez as Saunders' mandatory challenger.

The WBO made its decision Tuesday, appointing Alvarez as the mandatory challenger, a move that was well within its rules and could see Alvarez challenge Saunders on May 6. Saunders is one of a variety of options Alvarez is considering for that date.

The WBO said it ruled in favor of Alvarez "in the best interest of boxing," essentially saying it went with Alvarez is because he is one of boxing's biggest stars and is good for business.

http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/1 ... ger-status

There is no point to appeal when you deal with crooks.

I wish that Saunders would've went ahead and fought him instead of that crappy dude he did fight.

To be fair, given the WBO's policy of their champions being able to move up and fight for the title straight away (Lomachenko, Crawford), the decision is understandable. DiBella's focus should be on ensuring that Khurtsidze gets the first shot at the Saunders/Canelo winner, if that fight happens.

He's an exciting fighter with an exciting style. Given his age I hope he gets his shot soon; he won't survive with that style much longer.

ElJefe wrote:To be fair, given the WBO's policy of their champions being able to move up and fight for the title straight away (Lomachenko, Crawford), the decision is understandable. DiBella's focus should be on ensuring that Khurtsidze gets the first shot at the Saunders/Canelo winner, if that fight happens.

Neither Canelo, nor Saunders will fight Khurtsidze. The poor guy is out of luck.

ElJefe wrote:To be fair, given the WBO's policy of their champions being able to move up and fight for the title straight away (Lomachenko, Crawford), the decision is understandable. DiBella's focus should be on ensuring that Khurtsidze gets the first shot at the Saunders/Canelo winner, if that fight happens.

WBC did this too.

Difference is they've made him mandatory challenger, thus potentially forcing the fight. Whereas Loma and Bud decided to go up.

boxing_rocks wrote:

ElJefe wrote:To be fair, given the WBO's policy of their champions being able to move up and fight for the title straight away (Lomachenko, Crawford), the decision is understandable. DiBella's focus should be on ensuring that Khurtsidze gets the first shot at the Saunders/Canelo winner, if that fight happens.

Neither Canelo, nor Saunders will fight Khurtsidze. The poor guy is out of luck.

You're probably right to be fair, Canelo will likely beat Saunders and look for bigger names than Khurtsidze. Having said that, if Canelo did fight him I don't think he'd have too much trouble with him. Saunders on the other hand would be a good fight.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:

ElJefe wrote:To be fair, given the WBO's policy of their champions being able to move up and fight for the title straight away (Lomachenko, Crawford), the decision is understandable. DiBella's focus should be on ensuring that Khurtsidze gets the first shot at the Saunders/Canelo winner, if that fight happens.

WBC did this too.

Difference is they've made him mandatory challenger, thus potentially forcing the fight. Whereas Loma and Bud decided to go up.

True, although you'd think maybe there's been some sort of contact between Canelo's team and the WBO informing them that he is about to go to 160.

ElJefe wrote: True, although you'd think maybe there's been some sort of contact between Canelo's team and the WBO informing them that he is about to go to 160.

I heard that Canelo requested WBO to make him mandatory at 160.

boxing_rocks wrote:

ElJefe wrote: True, although you'd think maybe there's been some sort of contact between Canelo's team and the WBO informing them that he is about to go to 160.

I heard that Canelo requested WBO to make him mandatory at 160.

Maybe to keep his options wide open.