WBO Interim Middleweight Champion Avtandil Khurtsidze

170608 Avtandil Khurtsidze Show Cause

WORLD   BOXING ORGANIZATION

Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

Chairman

WBO Championship Committee                

June 8, 2017

WBO Interim Middleweight Champion Avtandil Khurtsidze

C/o Lou DiBella Dibella Entertainment lou@dbe1.com

Re:  Request to WBO Interim Champion Avtandil Khurtsidze to Show Cause why his WBO Interim Middleweight Championship Should NOT be vacated per WBO Rule 19.

Dear WBO Interim Champion Khurtsidze:

It has come to the attention of the WBO World Championship Committee that you have been charged and arrested in a Federal Prosecution in the Southern District of New York, in the United State of America in a case entitled United States v. Shulaya, et al.  A link to the details of the Charge is:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/members-and-associates-russian-crime-syndicatearrested-racketeering-extortion-robbery

You were obligated by the terms of your Interim Championship attained on April 22, 2017 to contest the WBO Middleweight Championship with WBO Middleweight Champion Billy Joel Saunders,  and this contest was sanctioned by the WBO and scheduled for July 8, 2017 in the Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hackney Wick, London, England, United Kingdom.

You are reminded that WBO World Championship Rule 19 provides:

              “SECTION 19.  FAILURE OF THE CHAMPION TO COMPLY WITH THE                 TERMS OF A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CONTRACT OR THE WORLD                 CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

                 (a) If a World Champion fails to comply with his contractual obligation to fight in                   a WBO World Championship bout without justifiable cause, or is determined by                   a Host Commission, a licensing commission, or other wise has tested positive for                   an illegal or any performance enhancing drug, or  fails to inform the WBO of                           fails to inform the WBO of any medical condition, impairment or any other                             circumstance which jeopardizes his participation in a WBO World                                             Championship contest, or if a Champion or any of his team members misleads,                     attempts to mislead, or petitions a Local Boxing Commission to illegally or                             incorrectly license said Champion, the Committee may recommend to the WBO                     President and to the Executive Committee that the fighter be stripped of the title                   and that the title be declared vacant.

Your WBO World Championship Committee asks that you show cause, within 5 days of this Notice, why action pursuant to Rule 19 should not be taken based on your unexcused cancellation of your World Championship Contest on July 8, 2017. If your answer is not received within the stipulated timeframe, the WBO Championship Committee will recommend that the WBO Executive Committee strip the title immediately without further ado and with no further recourse.

Please also be advised that the WBO has been contacted by the World press asking for our reaction to reports that you have been charged with serious Federal Crimes.  We gave and no reaction to the accusations in the indictment.  Please be advised, however, that any involvement by a WBO Participant with illegal activities would be considered a much more serious matter to your WBO World Championship Committee, and additional inquiries by the Committee may be required.  

This request to show cause is limited to the report that you cancelled your WBO World Championship July 8, 2017 without good cause in violation of Rule 19.  Please limit your response to that issue.  

Respectfully submitted,

WBO World Championship Committee

170608 Avtandil Khurtsidze Show Cause