SAN JUAN — The WBO on Monday ordered negotiations to begin between full minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo and interim champion Ryusei Matsumoto, moving to consolidate its title at 105lbs. The organisation wants only one champion per division and is pressing both camps to confront each other in short order.
Collazo, 15-0 (12 KOs), suffered a rib injury last month ahead of a planned attempt to capture the unified flyweight title from Ricardo Sandoval. Sandoval was promptly upset by replacement opponent Sergio Mendoza on 10 October in Chicago. Japan’s Matsumoto, 9-0 (4 KOs), was allowed to fight Mexico’s Russell Silviera for the interim belt on 27 September in Tokyo, winning by unanimous decision.
While the WBC and WBA allow interim champions to hold their belts for several months, the WBO has taken a stricter stance, insisting Collazo meet his interim counterpart without extended delay.
It remains unclear whether WBO-WBA champion Collazo will remain at minimumweight to satisfy the mandatory or seek a second-division title as he was attempting to do against Sandoval.