The WBC stripped lineal champion Miguel Cotto of his middleweight belt Tuesday, just four days before his megafight against former unified junior middleweight titlist Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.
While Cotto remains the lineal champion -- the man who beat the man, who beat the man, etc. -- he was relieved of the green and gold title for what the WBC announced as noncompliance with the organization's rules and regulations.
"The World Boxing Council worked tirelessly through a process that began over two years ago to secure the celebration of the highly anticipated fight between Miguel Cotto and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.