World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman welcomed yesterday the decision of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao to relinquish his super welterweight title since other fighters can now aspire to win belt.

“I am very happy with it because now the division is open for other aspiring boxers and it is not frozen,” said Sulaiman in an interview with the Inquirer.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz earlier announced that Team Pacquiao had decided to fight no higher than the welterweight (147-pound) division because of the risk he faced campaigning against way heavier foes.

Koncz said he is sending a letter to the WBC informing the organization of Pacquiao’s decision plus a clarification regarding the $80,000 sanction fees due the ring body from previous Pacman fights.

Koncz explained that he has instructed Top Rank to pay the overdue $50,000 sanction fee for the Oscar De La Hoya fight on Dec. 6, 2008 but the $30,000 due on the rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15, 2008 was a problem between promoter Bob Arum and the WBC.

He added that at the time of the Marquez rematch it was the practice for Top Rank to deduct sanction fees from Pacquiao’s purse and to pay the WBC itself.

Ronnie Nathanielsz, Phil. Daily Inquirer