By Allen Hmiel: With all the controversy surrounding the evasive elusiveness and embarrassment caused by the WBA’s (World Boxing Association) supposed Heavyweight champion David Haye possibly facing 38-year-old Jean-Marc Mormeck in his next fight, I am coming to the conclusion if the WBA is even a functioning body of organization directed and managed in any distinct way.

Their WBA web site is awful still showing a picture of Nicoli Valuev as the champion on their header. The site shows a date of last updated as February 11th 2009. The President is some guy named Gilberto Mendoza from Venezuela and it shows they had a 2005 convention held in Thailand. After the many discussions on the legitimacy of Englands David Haye being qualified to be a heavyweight champion anywhere, I am seeing that the WBA belt Haye currently holds is basically meaningless.

Is the WBA actually functioning? Why is this organization seeming-less rudderless and devoid of any leadership allowed to continue without a strong voice directing their organization with professionalism and pride?? Boxing today, is absolutely run currently by any one with the cash to put on a meaningful boxing promotion and can sell tickets and a TV or PPV promotional tie-in. Thank goodness that Bob Arum and Top Rank and Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy and even Don King are able to provide real fight fans with boxing promotions. The Boxing Associations that hand out these so called championship belts (like the WBA) and titles are basically leaderless and seemingly being run as back room boiler room operations somehow getting money generated by fighters who pay to have their fights and titles sanctioned by powerless entities asking for a check. Why send the WBA checks to Venezuela, Panama or Thailand for what reason? Is there an actual spokesperson who represents this collection of WBA championship belts?

Heck, anyone can create a boxing organization name a champion and hand out a belt then get a promoter to set a fight up for that fighter to defend that belt. I am sad to see boxing as a sport without a Czar that can professionally run the sport and govern with integrity and honesty with legit championships earned by merit and defended with pride and honor. The David Haye situation and the joke surrounding his questionable and dubious actions have tarnished the WBA’s claim as providing boxing fans with a credible boxing champion.

The WBA has a vision statement on their web-site as follows:

“As the most representative organization of Professional Boxing, where the right application of the fundamental principles of ethics, moral, loyalty, honesty and good faith can be found, considered as the main values, which orientates all legitimate activity of the Professional Boxing Worldwide.”

I find this organization the WBA and the antics and embarrassing contradictions of it’s laughable champion David Haye as detrimental to the great sport of boxing. Boxing as the sport of champions is above cheap tricks and fake challenges that David Haye has brought about. I would like to see more credibility and professional accountability maintained throughout boxing, where champions defend and honor their titles against the best and most qualified contenders. Also, any boxing organization found to be not run in an appropriate dignified manner and without strong leadership bestowing professionalism should not be permitted to partake in the distinction of awarding a title belt. Curious to see what the fans have to say?