The WBA strives for 3 champions per division (51 wba titlist)

[Lance Uppercut]

Want a title? Just ask the WBA
Dan Rafael



The WBA, headed by Gilberto Mendoza Sr. and his top lieutenant and son Gilberto Mendoza Jr. , is trying to destroy boxing. At least it appears that way when you look at what a joke its titles have become.
They have become such an absolute farce that even somebody like me, who follows boxing closely, sometimes has a hard time keeping track of all the nonsensical so-called world title belts the WBA has been doling out at an alarming rate.


It almost reminds me of the ladies at Costco who hand out various samples to customers on a busy Saturday afternoon.


As bad as the other sanctioning organizations are, the WBA has reached such repulsive depths that the others can't touch it right now. Apparently there is no level of absurdity that the WBA won't strive for, because it seems quite possible that by the end of the year it will have multiple titleholders in every division.
It already has "regular" titleholders in all 17 of boxing's weight classes. But, this being the WBA, you also have to account for the "interim" and "super champions," not to mention the "champions in recess" that the organization loves so much.


Besides the 17 titleholders, the laughable WBA also has:
• Four super champions (Shane Mosley at welterweight, Juan Manuel Marquez at lightweight, Celestino Caballero at junior featherweight and Vic Darchinyan at junior bantamweight).


• Four interim titleholders (Marcos Maidana at junior welterweight, Yuriorkis Gamboa at featherweight, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym at junior featherweight and Nehomar Cermeño at bantamweight).


• Two champions in recess (heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev and junior flyweight Brahim Asloum).


The junior featherweight division actually has three titleholders, with Caballero and Poonsawat joining "regular" titleholder Bernard Dunne.
So that's 27 fighters in 17 divisions who parade around with WBA belts. Sadly, that isn't the end of the utter madness -- because the more so-called champions, the better. Actually, the more so-called champions, the more money that flows into the the WBA's greedy hands because too many promoters, fighters and managers are too dumb to see what a racket this is. And shame on the networks that buy fights only because they are being contested for these spurious titles.


On Saturday, the WBA disgrace will continue when Urbano Antillon faces Miguel Acosta for the vacant interim lightweight belt, which will make for three lightweight titleholders.
But wait, there's more.


On Aug. 15, Nonito Donaire and Rafael Concepcion meet for the vacant interim junior bantamweight belt, meaning there will be three so-called WBA champions at 115 pounds. On the same night, in a different city, Francisco Rosas faces Juan Carlos Reveco for the vacant WBA interim strawweight title.


On Sept. 5, Luis Concepcion fights Omar Salado for the vacant WBA interim flyweight title.
When the winner of Concepcion-Salado is declared the WBA will have a ludicrious 31 so-called champions.
Isn't this fun?
Do I hear 32?


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[jdonaher1]

Man I use to think the WBC (We Be Cons) was the worst of the big 4 but the WBA (We Be A-Stealin) has jumped to number one on my list. I remember when the IBF (I Be Frauding) started and so many people thought since they were located in the US all this junk would stop. Alas a thief is a thief.

[Britkid]

LOL, does anyone really care anymore?

I gave up worrying about alphabet champs in the early 90s (and that was ten years too late).

The truth is if a fighter can make a few more £'s or $'s to his purse on the strength of a piece of alphabet crap, good on them.

But sorry Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, you still go down in my book as some nasty bacteria you pick up from the local Sports centre, than as a interim World champion of the WBA Bantam and Super Bantamweight titles.

[Fenster]

LOL, does anyone really care anymore?

I gave up worrying about alphabet champs in the early 90s (and that was ten years too late).

The truth is if a fighter can a few more £'s or $'s to his purse on the strength of a piece of alphabet crap, good on them.

But sorry Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, you still go down in my book as some nasty bacteria you pick up from the local Sports centre, than as a interim World champion of the WBA Bantam and Super Bantamweight titles.

That's what the fans don't get. I believe even intercontinental titles, WBU and the like guarantee more money than say a British or European.

[Gandalf]

Gilberto Mendoza Sr. and Gilberto Mendoza Jr. should make another couple of belts to put around their necks and hang from.

The number of ridiculous titles in boxing today is insane and these two want to add more into the mix? It's just meaningless. I don't care about belts anymore because I know who the main fighters are in each division, but for a casual fan it must look like a minefield trying to understand what's what in boxing.