The WBA title was the only recognized title for nearly 40 years, and now it seems to be the least credible of the 3 major belts.

Bad decision making that lead to the WBA’s decline:

1) Striping Muhammad Ali of the WBA title in 1965 and giving it to Ernie Terrell. And remember this was over 2 years prior to Ali being banned from boxing.

2) Not recognizing Larry Holmes as heavyweight champ, at any time in the 1980’s.

3) After Lennox Lewis beat Holyfield to Unify the Heavyweight Championship, they stripped Lewis of the WBA belt and gave it back Evander Holyfield (because he beat John Ruiz)

4) During Lennox Lewis’ reign as the universally recognized heavyweight champion, the WBA recognized John Ruiz as champ.

5) After Valuev won the belt on a dubious decision he went on over a year fighting bums, and loosing to the first decent fighter he had to face.