Would you vacate your Championship Belt?

By Gerardo Granados: What would Ares (the Mythical Greek God of War) say about a fighter who surrenders himself to an opponent before battle? What about Kokou the Yoruba Warrior? It´s even more important to ask fight fans if they would walk away from a fight that has risk but also a good purse. Civilians must be smart to avoid any unnecessary conflicts but is it OK for prize fighters to vacate a Championship Belt or to pass on the opportunity to fight for a title shot?

Under the premise that Pro Boxing is a Business, many decisions made by prize fighters are validated as correct or as a smart business decision; but, does it hurt the fan base to decide based only on the most profitable opportunity? Are fight fans left aside not taking them in consideration before making the next move?

I was not disappointed to hear that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr passed his opportunity to fight for the WBC 168 Championship Belt, because I thought he had already signed to fight against IBF – WBA Carl Froch but it seems like that fight isn’t going to be made.

Do the readers think that the Greedy Promoters should be taken responsible for not offering fight fans the fights that we want to see and instead are forcing fighters under contract to obey or stay inactive for as long they can resist. Andre Ward and Mickey Garcia are examples of that situation.

Peter Quillin vacated his WBO middleweight belt and walked away from a six figures payday. I bet his promoter will be able to get him another shot at one of the major belts available but will fight fans give Kid Chocolate a second chance? Can you imagine what would a middleweight contender, one who has tried for years to get a shot at a championship bout will say about the idea of vacating a world title? Do the readers believe it is fair for all those hungry contenders to wait on line and then to see Quilling to get a second chance to dispute another major belt?

The winner of the Gennady Golovkin vs Marco Antonio Rubio will be the mandatory challenger for the WBC middleweight Champion Miguel Cotto, but will the champion decide to vacate his belt due a more profitable business opportunity? In the past other famous fighters have done it and the reader can recall a few names.

Sergio Martinez was the legitimate WBC middleweight champion but was removed and named “Emeritus Champion”, so he had to fight to take back what righteously belonged to him. Do you think Marvin Hagler would have vacated his Middleweight Championship Belt?

It is true Pro Boxing is a business but it is also true that fight fans look up for fighters who show pride to be called Champions. Pro Boxing is complex and there is no way you can give anything for granted. But if the reader was to make the decision, would you vacate your Championship Belt?