It has been said that boxing today contains over 6,000 belts from the very lowest to the highest level. With all the different sanctioning fees that these various organisations can charge boxers so they can compete for them, that approximate figure is actually easy to believe. It has now gotten to a point where famous publications such as Boxing News and the now defunct Boxing Monthly eventually discarded the idea of ranking fighters with information of any title they may be holding.
Even though I don’t really find any value in world titles anymore, and unfortunately do not any longer get excited at any occasion when a unification bout takes place, this editorial is going to attempt to rank each of the three portions of the world championship in terms of integrity. My list will start from best to worst. (Please note: I do not, and have never considered the WBO as a legitimate world title).
IBF
The IBF was formed in 1983 but quickly gained the public’s consideration for being seen as worthy as the WBC and WBA. Although I see the IBF as an organisation that holds the most integrity of the big three, it is not like it has a squeaky clean past. In 1999, it was revealed that Robert Lee Sr, founder, had been taking bribes from well known promoters like Bob Arum to manipulate it’s own rankings. Lee was sentenced to 22 months in prison.
But despite what happened many years ago, the IBF has managed to remain sensible and not dish out many other crazy versions of it’s own straps just to make an extra buck.
WBC
It is weird to think now that I once viewed the WBC as the one to look up to. And I’m pretty sure that many other fight fans did, too. But unfortunately, over the years they have become pretty unhinged when it comes to tempting fight fans with rather silly (and sickly!) looking versions of the famous green belt that was once seen as so prestigious. Add the recent inclusions of the Franchise Champion designation and the so called exclusive “Bridger-weight” weight category, the reputation of the WBC has literally gone right down the pan.
WBA
What the WBC has done over the last decade has been bad enough. But have we seen any worse? Well, actually, I think we have!
Bear in mind that the WBA is the oldest organisation of the three, this is rather tragic to think about and realise. But if the WBC wanted to turn boxing into one big farce, then the WBA added confusion to the mix. Up until last year, there was as many as four world champions in one weight category! They pledged to clean up this mess by eliminating their interim titles. But today, there is still the matter of “regular” and “super” champion statuses to deal with.
