By Gerardo Granados: Once upon a time there was a single champion, he was the best fighter in his division and he faced the top contenders that challenged him for his belt. No excuses were made, all boxing fans knew that he was a man of respect and not coward. When he fought he always tried to beat his opponent, to hurt him as much as he could and to win convincingly, he didn’t try just to outpoint his rival. This was a true warrior and boxing fans recognize his effort and bravery. This champion didn’t collect alphabet belts, he didn’t choose the “organization champion” that he could beat from all the existent be cause there was only one, so there was a lineal champion who was succeeded by an individual.

As a fighter gets old he will struggle to make weight so it is natural to climb one or two divisions but to keep getting bigger its rare.

Now a days boxing has too many “organization champions” and it is relatively easy for a fighter to become one by picking opponents to build a good record in order to get a title shot; also it is a trend to avoid dangerous “organization champions” in order to become a multiple division organization champion. How many multiple division champions do we had now a days? Years ago this was a true merit, but now a think it doesn’t. Boxers become belt collectors but most do it by avoiding the top fighter in the division or they fight for a vacant belt without having been ranked before in the division and then vacate the belt that they just have won.

What make a great champion? To collect belts or to become the most feared and dominant fighter of his era. The champion achievements are measured by his record, title fights, quality of adversaries and over all skills; not by the number of belts he owns. Of course there is merit in becoming a multiple division champion but lets give the right dimension to this achievement, other wise soon we will see more multiple division organization champions claiming to be better than the original champion that fought a long time ago.