Pacquiao might 'sacrifice' WBC super featherweight belt and keep lightweight belt

By ALEX P. VIDAL / PNS
July 18, 2008

LOS ANGELES, California  –  Now that the World Boxing Council (WBC) Board of Governors in Mexico City has given two-division world champion Manny Pacquiao until July 28 to decide which of his two belts - WBC super featherweight and WBC lightweight - he will relinquish, Pacquiao might jettison the lower division and retain the title he wrested from David Diaz on June 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This became apparent after Pacquiao had indicated he was willing to defend the 135-lb title "against whoever my promoter will tap to face me" before thinking of whether or not invading the light welterweight division governed by Ricky Hatton.

In its July 14 decision released through WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman Chagnon from Mexico City, the Board of Governors voted to pave the way for Humberto Soto, a Mexican, to challenge Pacquiao for WBC super featherweight championship in the event Pacquiao decides to hold on to the title he grabbed from Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15 also in Las Vegas.

The winner between Pacquiao and Soto has been mandated to face Francisco Lorenzo of the Dominican Republic who was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine for "unsportsmanlike actions" in the ring which resulted in referee Joe Cortez's decision to declare him winner by disqualification over Soto in their eliminator bout underneath the Pacquiao-Diaz rumble.

Observers said the WBC ruling of a Soto-Pacquiao setto "might end up moot and academic" once Pacquiao will announce he will "sacrifice" the super featherweight crown for the lightweight throne.

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum, as well as his coaching staff led by Freddie Roach, have announced that the 29-year-old boxing icon is already comfortable in the lightweight division where he is reportedly most destructive as compared to the lower divisions.