Quote Originally Posted by Bilbo View Post
Quote Originally Posted by VictorCharlie View Post
I think getting rid of the alphabets and having one champion and one set of rankings per weight class would do phenomenal good for the sport. Hard to see how anyone wouldn't see it that way.
It's totally unrealistic and unfair. Do you also belive that the banking elite should be paid millions in bonuses whilst the cashiers get a minimum wage?

Your view relates purely to the perspective of the fan and takes no account of those actually getting inside the ropes and fighting, or their trainers, managers, promoters etc.

If you were a promising young athletic youth considering which sport to get into why would you choose boxing if their was only one title per weight class? With over 10,000 current pro boxers and one title per weight class what would be the realistic chances of you fighting for titles? Now contrast that with all other sports that offer a myriad of competitions and events, then what is the appeal of boxing exactly?

The way to look at it is this. The belts are not there to reward you, the fan. Rather they are there to ensure that more fighters can fight for something meaningful, get television exposure and earn some money in the sport they have dedicated their life to.

It seems so bizarre to me that when it comes to society people are aghast at the disparity between rich and poor and deplore the fat cats and those taking everything.

Yet in boxing you want to take away the livelihoods of most of those who practice the sport you love, and whose blood and sweat entertains you.

The belts are functionally necessary.
How comunist of you Bilbo. Seriously you have been trading barbs with Miles too long win you make some lame analogy that every boxers deserves their own special title so they feel good about themselves to "evil" capitalist bankers. And yeah I am looking at it purely from a fan's perspective. I want to see the best fights between then best fighters in each division. I don't need some trinket of a belt to be on the line to be interested in two top tier fighters getting in the ring together. I also don't really buy that a single belt/ranking per weight class is some how going to impoverish boxers. Honestly considering the declining state of boxing I think the opposite is true. Better fights and better credibility would probably mean more fans and more money for fighters. If you are so concerned with boxer's self esteem then have multiple belts but only one world champion and have one set of rankings so that world champion has to face the #1 contender at least once a year or be stripped. As it is today we have a watered down system with shoddy rankings where "champions" would rather fight bullshit mandatory contenders than unite the belts. Hell lets just start with the different belts ranking the other guys champion.