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Why, oh why, do I subject myself to it every month? I can't help it. It's like driving by a car wreck. You just gotta look.
I'm talking about how every month I look at the WBC's updated rankings. They are always good for a good laugh -- and a cry.
The September rankings are out and, before I pass out from the vile stench, let's review only the most glaring and heinous entries from president for life Jose Sulaiman and his puppet board of governors.
From the home office in northern Virginia, here are 10 examples of yet more reasons why the WBC is disgusting:
1. Ray Austin, a journeyman without a signature win EVER, is the No. 1 contender at heavyweight. If you haven't passed out from that one, there are still nine more to test your heart.
2. Bernard Hopkins is not ranked in the top 40 (as deep as the list goes) at light heavyweight, but Joe Spina, for example, is ranked 17th. I bet even Spina thinks Hopkins should rank ahead of him. And, by the way, since Hopkins is scheduled to fight champion Jean Pascal, who holds the WBC's belt, in December, who wants to bet that Hopkins will suddenly pop into the top 10 before then?
3. Rafael Marquez is listed as the ridiculous 122-pound "silver champion" even though he won that nonsense title in May in his fourth fight with Israel Vazquez -- at 126 pounds. We already knew the rules didn't matter to the WBC. Now, apparently, neither do weight classes.
4. Erik Morales, with two fights in about three years (both at welterweight), is ranked No. 2 at junior welterweight, where he has never fought.
5. Antonio Margarito, a known cheater coming off a lengthy suspension and with one low-level win at junior middleweight, is suddenly the No. 1 contender.
6. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is the No. 1 contender at middleweight, which might be the biggest joke in history other than Austin as the heavyweight No. 1 contender. By the way, pound-for-pound entrant Paul Williams is one spot behind Chavez. Vomit bags for everyone!
7. Kelly Pavlik ranks fourth at super middleweight, despite not yet fighting in the division and coming off a clear loss.
8. Mike Alvarado, who is in jail and will be for a stretch, is ranked 10th at junior welterweight. Last time I checked, when a guy is incarcerated, he's unavailable.
9. Hozumi Hasegawa, who lost his bantamweight title to Fernando Montiel via fourth-round knockout in his last fight in April, is ranked No. 2 at featherweight. He's coming off a loss and has never had a single fight in the weight class.
10. Humberto Soto claimed the vacant lightweight belt in March. When a fighter wins a vacant title in the WBC, the first defense is supposed to be mandatory. Soto was allowed an optional and now is being allowed a second one because the WBC refuses to follow its rules.
I could go on. Instead, I think I'll drive over to Target, buy a green belt, come home and set it on fire in my driveway.
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Dan Rafael
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer. Rafael began writing for ESPN.com in March 2005 after working for five years as the boxing writer for USA Today. He can be reached on Twitter at danrafaelespn.
I'm talking about how every month I look at the WBC's updated rankings. They are always good for a good laugh -- and a cry.
The September rankings are out and, before I pass out from the vile stench, let's review only the most glaring and heinous entries from president for life Jose Sulaiman and his puppet board of governors.
From the home office in northern Virginia, here are 10 examples of yet more reasons why the WBC is disgusting:
1. Ray Austin, a journeyman without a signature win EVER, is the No. 1 contender at heavyweight. If you haven't passed out from that one, there are still nine more to test your heart.
2. Bernard Hopkins is not ranked in the top 40 (as deep as the list goes) at light heavyweight, but Joe Spina, for example, is ranked 17th. I bet even Spina thinks Hopkins should rank ahead of him. And, by the way, since Hopkins is scheduled to fight champion Jean Pascal, who holds the WBC's belt, in December, who wants to bet that Hopkins will suddenly pop into the top 10 before then?
3. Rafael Marquez is listed as the ridiculous 122-pound "silver champion" even though he won that nonsense title in May in his fourth fight with Israel Vazquez -- at 126 pounds. We already knew the rules didn't matter to the WBC. Now, apparently, neither do weight classes.
4. Erik Morales, with two fights in about three years (both at welterweight), is ranked No. 2 at junior welterweight, where he has never fought.
5. Antonio Margarito, a known cheater coming off a lengthy suspension and with one low-level win at junior middleweight, is suddenly the No. 1 contender.
6. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is the No. 1 contender at middleweight, which might be the biggest joke in history other than Austin as the heavyweight No. 1 contender. By the way, pound-for-pound entrant Paul Williams is one spot behind Chavez. Vomit bags for everyone!
7. Kelly Pavlik ranks fourth at super middleweight, despite not yet fighting in the division and coming off a clear loss.
8. Mike Alvarado, who is in jail and will be for a stretch, is ranked 10th at junior welterweight. Last time I checked, when a guy is incarcerated, he's unavailable.
9. Hozumi Hasegawa, who lost his bantamweight title to Fernando Montiel via fourth-round knockout in his last fight in April, is ranked No. 2 at featherweight. He's coming off a loss and has never had a single fight in the weight class.
10. Humberto Soto claimed the vacant lightweight belt in March. When a fighter wins a vacant title in the WBC, the first defense is supposed to be mandatory. Soto was allowed an optional and now is being allowed a second one because the WBC refuses to follow its rules.
I could go on. Instead, I think I'll drive over to Target, buy a green belt, come home and set it on fire in my driveway.
Share
Dan Rafael
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer. Rafael began writing for ESPN.com in March 2005 after working for five years as the boxing writer for USA Today. He can be reached on Twitter at danrafaelespn.