Overweight Liborio Solis stripped of WBA super flyweight title

Liborio Solis. AFP FILE PHOTO

TOKYO — WBA super flyweight champion Liborio Solis has been stripped of his belt after failing to make the weight for a unification title bout against IBF holder Daiki Kameda on Tuesday, the Japan Boxing Commission said.

The bout was to take place late Tuesday as scheduled at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka, western Japan. If Japan’s Kameda, 24, beats his Venezuelan opponent, he will own both titles. If he loses, they will be vacant.

If the match ends in a draw, the Japanese boxer will retain his International Boxing Federation title but the World Boxing Association title will remain vacant, the commission said.

In his first weigh-in on Monday, the 31-year-old Solis was 1.4 kilograms above the 52.1 kg limit.

Solis was still 1.1 kg overweight in his second weigh-in an hour later and he refused to step on the scales for a third time inside the two-hour time limit to make the weight.

As soon as he gave up his attempt, Solis was seen gulping down water from a plastic bottle and buying seven cans and bottles of soft drinks from a vending machine, Japanese media said.

“I won’t reduce my weight any more. I cannot make it because it is too cold in Japan,” he was quoted as saying.

“I ran for one hour but it didn’t help. I cannot sweat any more if I move around for another hour.”

The WBA is expected to fine him for his failure and he will have to return his fight money to promoters.

“I will pay it back in peso or anything,” said the Venezuelan boxer.

Kameda, who has reduced his weight by 11 kg, said: “It will be great if I can recover in time and finish him off with a clean knockout.”