A Unified Champion Doesn't Have a Chance

[kiaba360]

Ideally, a mandatory is supposed to keep the champion busy. When fighters have to depend on their mandatory to keep them active, then there's a problem. Sometimes the mandatory is a decent opponent, and sometimes he's weak and/or didn't really earn his position. I don't think mandatories are an issue, it's the sanctioning bodies who can be inconsistent and unreasonable.

[Chrismart]

Oh they are great to achieve it. I just don't see the point in trying anymore. Four champions per division is just too hard. It's unrealistic to expect any champions can unify anymore.

Yeah i agree mate. It's an uphill task for sure :ANYWORD:

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Ideally, a mandatory is supposed to keep the champion busy. When fighters have to depend on their mandatory to keep them active, then there's a problem. Sometimes the mandatory is a decent opponent, and sometimes he's weak and/or didn't really earn his position. I don't think mandatories are an issue, it's the sanctioning bodies who can be inconsistent and unreasonable.

Oh it is definitely the sanctioning bodies for sure. Too many of them!

[Tony Trick-Pony]

After all, how many times has a champion managed to hold all four titles?

Hopkins at middleweight is the only one I can think of.

[kiaba360]

After all, how many times has a champion managed to hold all four titles?

Hopkins at middleweight is the only one I can think of.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...xing_champions

Last undisputed champion was Taylor when he beat B-Hop. Fury got stripped by the IBF after Wlad like Taylor got stripped after B-Hop, all because the new champion wanted a rematch. That's what I mean when I say unreasonable.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...xing_champions

Last undisputed champion was Taylor when he beat B-Hop. Fury got stripped by the IBF after Wlad like Taylor got stripped after B-Hop, all because the new champion wanted a rematch. That's what I mean when I say unreasonable.

Yes, stripping Fury was stupid.

[fanofslug]

A lot of people are for unified champions and I used to be, but really the only solution to the mess is doing away with the extra titles.

How can the champion fight the best when he's hampered down by alphabet organization mandatories, most of whom usually don't deserve a shot anyway?

The unified champion is really damned all the way around. The sport would be way better off with one champion so that a fighter would only have to face opponents from a list of ten contenders.

So when Wlad faced his uninteresting mandatories, remember, he really had no choice. Only doing away with all the belts will solve this. How that happens, I have no idea. Maybe is we all got together to boycott them one at a time and not support their fights. Could start with the WBO and get them out of the way since the WBA is SOMEWHAT trying to clean up their act.

These organisations have a lot of history behind them. It's unrealistic to think all belts can just be dropped in favour of one. Besides, I don't think it's the organisations fault. The biggest hurdle is the current batch of boxers we have today, they no longer have that ambition to unify belts and be the best of the best, but you have to view it from their point of view..why risk a loss when you can just ask a fighter to drain himself before you'll face him.

[Marchegiano]

A lot of people are for unified champions and I used to be, but really the only solution to the mess is doing away with the extra titles.

How can the champion fight the best when he's hampered down by alphabet organization mandatories, most of whom usually don't deserve a shot anyway?

The unified champion is really damned all the way around. The sport would be way better off with one champion so that a fighter would only have to face opponents from a list of ten contenders.

So when Wlad faced his uninteresting mandatories, remember, he really had no choice. Only doing away with all the belts will solve this. How that happens, I have no idea. Maybe is we all got together to boycott them one at a time and not support their fights. Could start with the WBO and get them out of the way since the WBA is SOMEWHAT trying to clean up their act.

Nah, just fight more often.

If a unified champ doesn't suck it really doesn't matter who's ranked highly and who you believe should be ranked highly because they should be able to clear the majority of names yearly and force the ranks to cycle quickly. Wlad only fought 1-3 times a year as champ. That's not hard to top, especially when competition is low.

[bojangles1987]

Mandatory obligations, TV / Promotion wars...It's very hard to do.
That's why personally, i'm rooting for someone who is trying to do it or is close to achieving it.

Yeah, I would really like to see someone become undisputed champion of a division just because of how hard it is to do and how much has to go right. Between the sanctioning bodies and the promoter/network feuds, winning and hanging on to titles is near impossible if they don't want you to have that title.

It's also why I get really pissed at Kovalev and Stevenson. We're one fight from having an undisputed champion at LHW and it's not happening. They should both be heavily criticized for the games being played on both sides. They have an opportunity to do something truly historic.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Nah, just fight more often.

If a unified champ doesn't suck it really doesn't matter who's ranked highly and who you believe should be ranked highly because they should be able to clear the majority of names yearly and force the ranks to cycle quickly. Wlad only fought 1-3 times a year as champ. That's not hard to top, especially when competition is low.

But realistically, if he wanted to fight more often, could he?

Promoters and the sanctioning bodies and money all get in the way of that.