Why There's So Many Belts in Boxing (and Why It's Ruining the Sport)

The Problem with Boxing's Multiple Belts

Overview of Boxing Organizations

• The boxing world is cluttered with numerous belts, primarily from four major organizations: WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF. Fans often refer to them as the "alphabet soup" due to their acronyms.

• In addition to these organizations, The Ring magazine awards belts based on their assessment of the best fighters in each weight class.

Historical Context of Belt Organizations

• The video discusses how boxing transitioned from a single championship (the lineal championship) to multiple belt organizations and the implications this has for the sport.

• The NBA (National Boxing Association), established in the 1920s and later becoming WBA, was the first major organization until reports of corruption emerged by the 1980s.

Emergence of New Organizations

• Corruption within WBA led to its president influencing rankings through bribery; this prompted the creation of WBC in 1983 as a response to such issues.

• Despite being seen as prestigious, WBC also faced corruption challenges similar to those experienced by WBA.

• Robert Lee founded IBF after failing to become president of WBA, promoting it as a corruption-free alternative; however, it too became embroiled in scandals.

Additional Organizations and Their Impact

• The establishment of WBO followed grievances against existing organizations, further complicating boxing's landscape with more potential for corruption.

Issues Arising from Multiple Championships

• The proliferation of belts leads to confusion among fans; many top fighters do not face each other due to separate titles held across different organizations.

• An analogy is drawn comparing boxing's situation with an NBA playoff scenario where teams receive trophies without competing against one another.

Consequences for Fighters and Titles

• Without a unified governing body, there are instances where top fighters avoid facing each other since they hold different titles within various organizations.

• Each organization has mandatory fights that can be ignored at their convenience; this results in champions like Devin Haney and Javonte Davis not unifying their titles despite logical matchups.

Diminishing Value of Championship Titles

• Titles have lost significance over time; terms like "super champion" or "regular champion" created by organizations dilute what it means to hold a title.

• Unlike sports with singular championships (e.g., NBA rings), multiple belts reduce rarity and value associated with winning a title.

Financial Motivations Behind Title Creation

• Organizations continue creating new titles primarily for financial gain through sanctioning fees paid by promoters for title fights. This cycle perpetuates the issue rather than resolving it.

Understanding the Issues in Boxing's Championship System

The Problem with Multiple Championships

• The current boxing system incentivizes organizations to create numerous belts and titles, diluting their significance. Examples include interim, gold, silver, regular, super, and franchise championships.

• A proposed solution is to have a single belt and governing body for each weight class. This would ensure that only the best fighters compete for the championship title.

Challenges of Unification

• Unifying boxing organizations under one governing body could solve many issues but is practically impossible due to power dynamics. Leaders of existing organizations would resist losing their positions.

• The resistance stems from financial interests tied to sanctioning fees and potential corrupt practices like bribery. Historical context likens this struggle to power plays depicted in "The Godfather."

Complications in Implementation

• Each organization has its own territory and revenue model, making it difficult to agree on unification terms. They were originally formed due to disagreements over practices among different bodies.

• Even if unification were achieved theoretically, promoters might oppose it as they would lose opportunities for promoting multiple championship fighters.

Fighter Perspectives

• Fighters may also resist unification because it limits their chances of holding multiple belts or avoiding fights against top competitors within their weight class.

Conclusion: Is Unification Possible?

• While having one governing body and one belt seems straightforward, the reality is complex due to various stakeholders wanting to maintain their influence. The future remains uncertain regarding whether boxing will ever adopt a unified championship system or continue with its fragmented approach.