By Marquise Bullock: This isn’t an article for bias fans. So the Mayweather-Pacquiao debate can wait for next time. But anyway, was Floyd Mayweather Jr. on to something when he didn’t pay the WBA sanctioning fees against “Sugar” Shane Mosley? If I’m not mistaking, Marco Antonio Barrera vacated his title for the same reason. The question I want to know is, what if more boxers took this stance? And what would happen to the major sanctioning bodies if the boxers did?
Believe it or not, creating belts for divisions is nothing more than a trend to make money. The WBA were the first sanctioning bodies with “Super Champions”, thus created the extra weight classes like super welterweight, super middleweight, etc… In my honest opinion it’s just for money and not the sport. And I think all boxing fans would agree that it’s messing the sport up. The sanctioning fees for those who don’t know, take 3 percent of a fighters purse. So if a fighter makes $700,000 dollars for a fight, that’s $21,000 dollars coming out of their purse. That is completely unnecessary. When champions win in other sports such as the NBA, NFL, NHL, they don’t have to pay jack. And their system for putting the right contenders competing for the trophies is flawless.
If there were one title boxing would be back on the Plato that it once was on. For example the Super middleweight division is booming right now. If there was one title to fight for it would make that division very exiting too watch. Seeing a fighter give it all he has to get to the top and be crowned king. Also you would see shutouts in divisions. And it would force fights to happen if you want to be champion. Remember when the Chicago “Bulls” had the championship back in the 90s, and no one could get to it. And Michael Jordan pitched a complete shutout, until he took two years off then came back. Well that’s how it should be. Or like when Mike Tyson was in his prime and had all titles. If he would’ve stayed focused well into his mid 30s there would’ve been a big shutout in the heavyweight division, but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
Also I would like to know, which belt is more creditable? Is it the WBC,WBA,IBF, or the WBO? I mean by this rate don’t be surprised if you see seven belts by the end of 2012. The WBA has been said to be corrupt, and the WBC had it’s share of controversy. The WBO is a fresh too becoming major, and in my opinion the IBF is pretty cool but is becoming irrelevant. The way they rank fighters is very confusing for none boxing fans, and if someone were to ask you who’s the Jr. Welterweight champion, you could name ad least three people. And a non boxing fan would get very confused by that, and wouldn’t even bother to watch the beautiful sport. “The Ring” Magazine title is very accurate. Also you don’t have too pay any fees to have it. It’s been said that these guys are like leeches. What ever they are, they need to help instead of hurt the sport.
Comments are closed.