Why I’m hard on Loma, fair or foul?

[TitoFan]

@Master , Fenster's actually giddy you agree 100% with him. It's just a little awkward for him to admit it, since he's only used to people disagreeing with him. (That's what I'm here for).

In fact, Loma is one of those topics.

Not that it's really an arguable topic, since it really boils down to personal preference. Personally, I prefer the old style way of working your way up to a title shot. Not taxi cab drivers and Tijuana bartenders mind you. We're already had a redhead and a melon-head who've gone that route. No.... I mean a methodical route to a championship fight, with anywhere from 10-20 fights under your belt against constantly improving opposition.

It's arguable that Loma isn't the ONLY fighter in world boxing history with the initial talent to have merited a shot very close to the beginning of their pro boxing career. I refuse to adhere to the notion that Loma is several levels above any other fighter that ever lived. He's a special talent, to be sure. He also benefited from a long illustrious amateur career. How he got the title shot right out of the gate is beyond me. Promotion, string-pulling, bribes.... whatever. Most of us are not privy to the goings on behind the boxing scenes.

Still... there's something special about a prospect accumulating ever-increasing scalps on his resume until he finally gets his big shot.

[Fenster]

It's very simple why Loma got an alphabet shot in his second fight, there's nothing "shady," no conspiracy, it's how every single fight is made between fighters, promoters and governing body.

Promoters/managers canvass alphabet organisations on behalf of their fighters. The higher profile, the more the org is interested, as the dough they receive (sanction fees) is bigger and the publicity and promotion propels their business .

Loma asked his promoter, Bob, to get a title fight, the WBO and Nevada commission agreed he's safe and competent to challenge no.7 contender Ramirez, he accepted. Loma destroyed him, therefore proving to the WBO he was a worthy challenger for their champion. Salido accepted the challege. The Texas commission approved it. TV company bought it. Worldwide TV bought it. And everyone made a little coin.

If you don't accept that's the norm, feel free to explain how anyone "deserves" a shot at an alphabet?

[powerpuncher]

I can see both sides, but I lean more on the side of waiting for a title shot. The reason why is that there are many other fighters who have been fighting professionally for 5+ years and built their way up to it. It’s unfair to just skip them all.

Another thing is that once you become a star, you start to be able to call the shots. As a fighter, you should have to get through at least 10 guys in order to earn that right.

You can claim that Loma was on that level, but there will always be fringe contenders that give up and comers tough fights. For example, Salido was more known as a fringe contender but through a lot of grit, he won a belt. He could have easily remained a fringe contender. Imagine Loma still fought Salido but Salido didn’t have a belt. Now the story changes. It isn’t that he fought for a title on his second fight but came up short. The story now is that he stepped up a little too soon and needs a few more tune up fights before he fights for a title.

My point is that all fighters should go through a period where they have to fight contenders. I don’t think it’s fair that Loma got to skip all of those contenders that are fighting for their lives to get that shot at the title. There is no guarantee that he would have come out without a loss. Maybe he wouldn’t have, but we should have been able to see how it would have played out.

[Master]

10 fights!!!!

Powerpuncher would you be happy to see Loma beat up 10 fighters in 10 months to satisfy your critera?

Loma does not have age on his side, just give him a shot which he rightfully earned.

Loma is not a spoilt child or diva. He even lost the close decision.

[powerpuncher]

10 fights!!!!

Powerpuncher would you be happy to see Loma beat up 10 fighters in 10 months to satisfy your critera?

Loma does not have age on his side, just give him a shot which he rightfully earned.

Loma is not a spoilt child or diva. He even lost the close decision.

So if he fought Salido and lost and Salido wasn’t champion at the time, would that change your opinion? Should he have just leap frogged other people after his loss?

There are tons of people to fight that are good and that aren’t title holders. Again, there is a chance that he could have lost to a non title holder. Every fighter needs more than one fight to prove that they can beat multiple top contenders before they get a title shot.

[Master]

10 fights!!!!

Powerpuncher would you be happy to see Loma beat up 10 fighters in 10 months to satisfy your critera?

Loma does not have age on his side, just give him a shot which he rightfully earned.

Loma is not a spoilt child or diva. He even lost the close decision.

So if he fought Salido and lost and Salido wasn’t champion at the time, would that change your opinion? Should he have just leap frogged other people after his loss?

There are tons of people to fight that are good and that aren’t title holders. Again, there is a chance that he could have lost to a non title holder. Every fighter needs more than one fight to prove that they can beat multiple top contenders before they get a title shot.

Yes but 10? You can not stipulate a number on a fighter. Each fighter is different and Loma is unique.

[powerpuncher]

10 fights!!!!

Powerpuncher would you be happy to see Loma beat up 10 fighters in 10 months to satisfy your critera?

Loma does not have age on his side, just give him a shot which he rightfully earned.

Loma is not a spoilt child or diva. He even lost the close decision.

So if he fought Salido and lost and Salido wasn’t champion at the time, would that change your opinion? Should he have just leap frogged other people after his loss?

There are tons of people to fight that are good and that aren’t title holders. Again, there is a chance that he could have lost to a non title holder. Every fighter needs more than one fight to prove that they can beat multiple top contenders before they get a title shot.

Yes but 10? You can not stipulate a number on a fighter. Each fighter is different and Loma is unique.

10 or so. Whatever. He beats one contender and then we know he deserves to have a shot at the title? I mean 10 is just a number I threw out, but it has to be more than 1. It could have just been a perfect match up. Who knows? You need to prove that you can beat multiple top ten contenders before fighting for the belt

[Fenster]

I can see both sides, but I lean more on the side of waiting for a title shot. The reason why is that there are many other fighters who have been fighting professionally for 5+ years and built their way up to it. It’s unfair to just skip them all.

Another thing is that once you become a star, you start to be able to call the shots. As a fighter, you should have to get through at least 10 guys in order to earn that right.

You can claim that Loma was on that level, but there will always be fringe contenders that give up and comers tough fights. For example, Salido was more known as a fringe contender but through a lot of grit, he won a belt. He could have easily remained a fringe contender. Imagine Loma still fought Salido but Salido didn’t have a belt. Now the story changes. It isn’t that he fought for a title on his second fight but came up short. The story now is that he stepped up a little too soon and needs a few more tune up fights before he fights for a title.

My point is that all fighters should go through a period where they have to fight contenders. I don’t think it’s fair that Loma got to skip all of those contenders that are fighting for their lives to get that shot at the title. There is no guarantee that he would have come out without a loss. Maybe he wouldn’t have, but we should have been able to see how it would have played out.

For sure, in an ideal world that's how boxing would work, everyone would get a fair shake, there'd be a perfect ranking system, unfortunately it's not like that, never has been and never will.

Loma didn't "skip" any contenders, he beat a top ten ranked WBO fighter therefore EARNT his spot in their rankings. Salido, as champion, could have "chosen" anyone in the top 15, he "chose" Loma for obvious reasons.

If Salido wasn't the champion they obviously wouldn't have fought.

[Spicoli]

It's very simple why Loma got an alphabet shot in his second fight, there's nothing "shady," no conspiracy, it's how every single fight is made between fighters, promoters and governing body.

Promoters/managers canvass alphabet organisations on behalf of their fighters. The higher profile, the more the org is interested, as the dough they receive (sanction fees) is bigger and the publicity and promotion propels their business .

Loma asked his promoter, Bob, to get a title fight, the WBO and Nevada commission agreed he's safe and competent to challenge no.7 contender Ramirez, he accepted. Loma destroyed him, therefore proving to the WBO he was a worthy challenger for their champion. Salido accepted the challege. The Texas commission approved it. TV company bought it. Worldwide TV bought it. And everyone made a little coin.

If you don't accept that's the norm, feel free to explain how anyone "deserves" a shot at an alphabet?

Maybe because there was already 6 fighters ranked ahead of him the silly alphabet boys deemed worthy of being there when Arum started tossing around his amatuer highlight reel and all that coin. And he lost. Then got an immediate do-over ahead of all. Anyway, it's all history now.

[Fenster]

It's very simple why Loma got an alphabet shot in his second fight, there's nothing "shady," no conspiracy, it's how every single fight is made between fighters, promoters and governing body.

Promoters/managers canvass alphabet organisations on behalf of their fighters. The higher profile, the more the org is interested, as the dough they receive (sanction fees) is bigger and the publicity and promotion propels their business .

Loma asked his promoter, Bob, to get a title fight, the WBO and Nevada commission agreed he's safe and competent to challenge no.7 contender Ramirez, he accepted. Loma destroyed him, therefore proving to the WBO he was a worthy challenger for their champion. Salido accepted the challege. The Texas commission approved it. TV company bought it. Worldwide TV bought it. And everyone made a little coin.

If you don't accept that's the norm, feel free to explain how anyone "deserves" a shot at an alphabet?

Maybe because there was already 6 fighters ranked ahead of him the silly alphabet boys deemed worthy of being there when Arum started tossing around his amatuer highlight reel and all that coin. And he lost. Then got an immediate do-over ahead of all. Anyway, it's all history now.

Right, it's just a silly alphabet, it's not like the days of one champion (however, Salido was rated no.2 by The Ring).

Loma "deserved" an immediate shot at their WBO title. Their champion didn't even make weight and he lost a razor thin split decision after being fouled all night.