 Vitali Klitschko has pulled out of fights with Rahman four times |
WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko must be ready to fight within 90 days or his title will be handed to Hasim Rahman. Klitschko cancelled a fight against Rahman for the fourth time in 2005 when he hurt his knee sparring on Thursday.
The mandatory defence had been scheduled for 12 November in Las Vegas.
Rahman's camp claimed the belt was now his but WBC boss Jose Sulaiman has agreed to wait until Saturday for a full diagnosis of Klitschko's injury.
Sulaiman said: "You shouldn't lose your title because you get injured. A decision that is fair for everyone will come in time."
The 34-year-old Ukrainian withdrew from the first scheduled fight against Rahman in April due to a thigh injury and a back problem has kept him out of two further dates. A former champion, Rahman, 32, chose to fight Monte Barrett in August and scored a convincing win to claim the WBC interim title and force Klitschko into a mandatory challenge.
Don King, Rahman's promoter, has accused Klitschko of "ducking" his man.
"Anyone could tell that Vitali did not want to fight Rock (Rahman)," King said on Sunday.
"This is why I lobbied for Rock's last fight to be for the WBC interim heavyweight title.
"The moment Vitali cancelled his mandatory defence he vacated his title and Rahman immediately assumed his crown according to the rules and regulations of the WBC."
But Sulaiman said: "We can't act under pressure from anybody when we think that pressure will force an injustice.
"You all know there are economic interests all over the world that were pressuring us to stop recognising Klitschko as champion and give the title to Rahman. "But it seems to me unfair not to give a fighter a chance to undergo medical examinations to determine if the injury is major or minor."
Sulaiman, however, also noted that this was the fourth time Klitschko (35-2, 34 knockouts) has backed out of a fight with Rahman (41-5-1, 33 KOs), and hinted the champion may be looking for excuses to stay out of the ring.
"I think that perhaps this has more to do with physiological aspects, I don't know," Sulaiman said.
"That's why we are going to wait for the results of a medical examination.
"If Klitschko isn't available to fight, Rahman will be declared the undisputed heavyweight world champion."
Earlier on Monday, Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente told BBC Radio Five Live that the boxer had spoken personally to Sulaiman.
 |  I don't care what Don King says anymore - everybody knows who Don King is and I think that speaks for itself |
"Sulaiman said he will wait until Vitali has seen the doctor to see what is happening with the injury," said Boente. "We have to live with it. We have to see what the doctor says and hope for the best."
Boente insisted Klitschko, who has not fought since beating England's Danny Williams last December, would not be ready to fight until next year.
"That is not only because of his body but because of the TV situation in general - you cannot reschedule a fight that easily," he added.
"Vitali wants to keep the WBC belt. He's a proud champion and he told Sulaiman that he loves the belt."
And Boente denied King's claims that Klitschko was running scared.
"I don't care what Don King says anymore. Everybody knows who Don King is and I think that speaks for itself," said Boente.
Rahman's manager Steve Nelson was reported to be "enraged" by the WBC's decision to give the champion more time, according to The Baltimore Sun newspaper.
Promoter Bob Arum, who won the bid to promote the 12 November contest, said the rescheduled event could still take place in February, March or April.
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