Sanchez vs. Sosa: Zurdito Wins Fight but Loses Title During Weigh-in Fiasco

Juan Carlos "Zurdito" Sanchez (16-1-1) did not let losing his title on a technicality hinder his in-ring performance.

He was stripped of his IBF super-flyweight title for not making weight, per information provided to ESPN's Dan Rafael  by Top Rank Spokesman Lee Samuels.

The 22-year-old shook off the distraction and easily outpointed Roberto Domingo Sosa (24-1) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Boxing Scene's Ryan Burton has some of the details on the decision win and stripping of the title:

The size, speed and skill difference was too much for the overmatched 28-year-old Argentinian fighter. Sosa was previously undefeated, but Zurdito represented a huge step up in competition.

He still made a decent account of himself by winning a few rounds and going the distance with a very good young fighter.

Before the fight in the ring began, Sanchez lost his bout with the scale. Per Rafael, at the weigh in on Friday afternoon, Sanchez weighed in at 116 pounds, which is one pound over the limit for the bout.

Sanchez went to shed the weight and returned to the scale 30 minutes later. Upon stepping on the scale a second time, he weighed 115.5 pounds, which was still a half pound over.

Sanchez went back to shed the half pound and returned 10 minutes later. At this time, Sanchez got back on the scale and IBF supervisor Aaron Kizer announced Sanchez had indeed made weight.

Here's where things got weird.

Although the fighter was told he made weight, he actually had not. Sanchez's official weight was 115.2, but per Samuels, Kizer thought he could round down to 115 pounds.

Technically, there should have been 10 minutes remaining for Sanchez to drop the 0.2 pounds needed, but that was unrealistic even with such a small amount of weight to lose.

With all of this happening, it is a wonder Sanchez performed well.

This event may be the incident that pushes him to a higher weight class. He'll see better fights at bantamweight and at 5'8, he has the height and frame to handle the extra pounds.

Even though it is a bummer to lose a title this way, it does not take away from Sanchez's talent and bright future.

Follow me, because i love boxing and you do too