Peter Quillin vacates WBO title

Middleweight star Peter Quillin announced today that he is vacating his WBO middleweight title, effective immediately, in order to pursue bigger opportunities at 160 pounds.

"I'd like to thank WBO president Paco Valcarcel and his organization for their support throughout the years," said Quillin. "Winning the WBO world championship was a highlight in my career and something I'll never forget, this is a difficult decision, but in order to make the fights the fans and I want against my fellow middleweights at the top of the division, I needed to relinquish the title. This is an exciting new chapter in my life, and I'm looking forward to cementing my spot as the best middleweight in the world."

Brooklyn, New York's Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) won the WBO middleweight title on October 20, 2012 with a 12-round decision victory over Hassan N'Dam. The 31-year-old went on to successfully defend his title three times with victories over Fernando Guerrero, Gabriel Rosado, and Lukas Konecny, establishing himself as an elite middleweight champion. Now, Quillin will seek even bigger challenges in the near future.