WBO Orders Collazo-Matsumoto Negotiations to Begin

The World Boxing Organization ordered negotiations to begin on Monday between full minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo and interim champion Ryusei Matsumoto.

The WBO wants only one champion per division, which is pressing Collazo to confront Matsumoto in short order.

The WBO allowed Matsumoto, with a record of 9-0 (4 KOs), to fight Russell Silviera for the interim belt on September 27 in Tokyo. Matsumoto won the fight by unanimous decision.

Collazo, with a record of 15-0 (12 KOs), suffered a rib injury last month. The injury came before his planned attempt to capture the unified flyweight title from Ricardo Sandoval.

Sandoval was upset by replacement opponent Sergio Mendoza on October 10 in Chicago.

It is unclear if WBO-WBA champion Collazo will remain in the division or seek a second division title as he was attempting to do against Sandoval.