Quote Originally Posted by bzkfn View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Bilbo View Post

Boxing isn't a meritocracy, and personally I'm ok with that.
Bilbo, honestly how can you be ok with fighters not getting what they deserve. Boxing is an unforgiving business, and really isn't helped by a corrupt sanctioning body that bypasses their own rankings just to attempt to give their belt to a Mexican? All they want to do is push Mexican fighters. My argument is not with Alvarez or Hatton, but with the WBC, for once again giftwrapping a title to 2 fighters who have done absolutely nothing to warrant a world title shot in this division. It saddens me that both you and Eric would accept this. As fans of Boxing, don't you want to see fighters earn their way to a World Title? If this was for a vacant 147 title, I'd have less of a problem, but what is the point of having weightclasses, rankings, elimanators etc. if you're just going to give 2 guys who are undeserving at the 154lb weightclass a free pass ove those who are winning elimanators? Fans accepting this is just going to lead to more bullshit from idiots like Suliaman.
I have to be honest I see boxing and MMA as entertainment. I just want to see the best fights get made, and belts, weight classes etc don't interest me.

I don't care about catchweights, I don't care about alphabet belts or anything else.

As I understand it this fight is to take place at 150 lbs, a weight Alvarez has fought at for his last few fights. He's only 20 so clearly is going to grow into a full junior and then middleweight fighter so makes sense he's moving up.

Yes neither he now Hatton has done anything to warrant a world title in that division, but since when has a belt had any meaning in a division? If you want to see who is the best fighter in a weight class look to the Ring Rankings, the belts mean absolutely nothing to fight fans and do not (and havent for decades) represented who are the best fighters in the division.

What having a world title will do for Alvarez however is give him an increased profile which is good for the sport, at least commercially.

Id' rather have guys like Alvarez and Gamboa being managed to artificially created belts than have fighters with no world appeal or interest hold them.

The lightweight middle division is currently a wasteland with no decent fighters. It seems that the WBC are trying to encourage at least one commercially viable exciting prospect there and to give him a belt, which is no bad thing.

As for Hatton vs Rhodes as an opponent. Maybe Alvarez doesnt want to weigh 154lbs just yet and hasn't grown into the weight so is going for a 147lber.

I don't really care to be honest, I have no purist attatchment to either weightclasses ro title belts, I just want them to bring Alvarez along and get him to have a decent marketable career.

I have no problem with the fight at all.